


Silver Linings

by Ria84



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alderaan Traditions, Angst, Author took a lot of liberties with the traditions, BB ships Reylo for sure, BB8 is a girl, Ben is a cop, Ben is a soft boi, Christmas ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fireflies, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Gratuitous Smut, Hair Braiding, I hurt you because I care, I won't lie to you, Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies, Kiss The Girl, LOTS OF FLUFFY FLUFF!, Misunderstandings, Mitaka loves Brianne, Oral Sex, POV Alternating, Palpatine rears his ugly face, Reylo - Freeform, Size Difference, Starkiller Soft Serve, Summer start, The smut will come, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, based on a Hallmark movie, but HEA, but it will get better, but not yet, christmas in july, eventually is a key word here, fishing in the dark, for now - the fluff rules supreme, kind of slow burn, medling, more Ronnie than Flip, obscene amounts of plaid, painful past, small town, snoke is a jerk, some chapters will require a trip to the dentist, somewhat role reversal, there is a whole bunch of angst, this is going to hurt a whole bunch, very losely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2020-06-24 20:33:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19731277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ria84/pseuds/Ria84
Summary: This is based on the prompt given to me by the lovely MyJediLife :)"Rey is an up-and-coming country star. Ben is a small town cop who meets her when she passes through his town and her bus breaks down. Fluff and smut and angst *with an HEA."Very loosely based on the Hallmark movie "A song for Christmas" - very, very loosely ;)





	1. Breakdown

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/gifts).



> I'm not entirely certain how many chapters we'll have but I'll update the chapter count once I have a good idea! I will update every other week!  
> Thank you to my lovely Beta
> 
> [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae)
> 
> for turning this around so quickly and for the beautiful moodboard she did for this chapter!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey tries to make the best out of an inconvenient situation.

Rey watched the early morning stillness of small town life through the cool beads of condensation gathering on the tinted window of the empty tour bus.

_Has it only been a week?_ She wondered to herself as she forcibly kept the welling tears at bay. 

Such a life altering experience should take place over a significant amount of time.

_But what is an acceptable amount of time to fall in love and have your heart ripped out of your chest?_

Seven days didn’t feel long enough. 

And yet, there she sat, back on her tour bus waiting to leave everything behind. Leave _him_ behind.

She’d been sitting in her seat for almost twenty minutes, choosing the lonely quiet of the idling vehicle as the soundtrack to her silent crisis. 

She combed over every detail of the past week, searching for clues that should’ve warned her about what was going to happen. The only image playing in her mind was _him -_ the deep pools of his dark eyes, the dimples in his cheeks as he smiled down at her, his lips on every square inch of her. 

_How did everything get so fucked up?_

_Before…_

Rey was utterly furious; she desperately missed the days of flip-phones when she could get satisfaction from hanging up on someone without them having any doubt of her intentions. 

Their tour bus broke down in quite literally the middle of nowhere during the last phase of the tour. The irony not missed by Rey, who felt herself breaking down slowly. And now John Snoke, her manager for the past five years, had finally gotten on her very last nerve with his latest request. _Demand more like._

“Can you believe this Ro? I mean, Jesus, is it not enough to be nominated for a Grammy and sell out every single show within minutes. Now this?” 

“Oh hunny, it’s not _that_ bad! So you pretend to date Poe Dameron over the summer. So what? You make a couple of platinum albums together, feed the paparazzi and then break up very publicly. He seems like a decent person and honestly, he’s kind of a hottie!” The small brunette giggled, trying to keep up with Rey while she was busy pitching a fit. 

“I thought we were past this kind of cheap publicity. I want my music to speak for itself you know?” Rey’s shoulders slumped, the acrid taste of defeat sinking into her bones. Snoke always got his way. There wasn’t much to be gained from fighting with him.

She slowed her pace as they reached their lodging for the night - a charming bed and breakfast called _The Endor Inn._ A two-story turn of the century abode, covered in crisp white cedar planks with beautiful contrasting fresh green ivy that was overgrown in patches. A double red door greeted them, beckoning them inside. 

Rey stopped in her tracks, turning to face her best friend turned personal assistant. “Who are we?” 

“You’re Rey Kenobi and I’m Rose Tico,” her friend replied with a smirk.

“Well, that’s different!” 

“I know! I just figured it would be kind of fun to use our real names. And sleep in a real bed - you know, silver linings and all that good shit! Besides, I don’t think we’ll be back in Alderaan anytime soon!” Rose laughed. 

Although making a living singing country music had always been Rey’s dream, there were many aspects of being a country music superstar that she never understood. 

_Fame._ Being constantly watched and hounded by paparazzi, having to use fake names just to have a few moments of privacy, being constantly surrounded by people but always alone at the end of the day were all adjustments she had to make room for. 

Rose was her friend, her _real friend_ who loved her before everything else came along.

Rey followed Rose inside, an oddly welcoming vibe about the place making her feel at ease. The small woman behind the counter greeted them, perching her thick glasses on the bridge of her nose. 

“Welcome to The Endor, ladies! First time in Alderaan? Are you girls here for the festival? Oh, the young men around here will be absolutely thrilled!”

“Ro, how did you find this place?” she whispered only for her friend’s ears to hear. 

She only got a look in return, Rose begging her to just go along with it. They would only be there for a night.

“You look so familiar!” the small elderly woman spoke, her tight squint deepening her wrinkles as Rey’s chest tightened, assuming their rouse was dead in the water.

“Really?” 

“Yes! You look just like me! Sixty years ago!” she howled, holding onto her belly as she chuckled. 

“I hope I’ll get to be half as beautiful when I’m half your age, ma’am,” Rey said politely, her words pleasing their host.

“It’s Maz. I feel old if you call me ma’am! Now, come in, come in! Have some brownies. I just frosted them.” 

“Those look incredible but I can’t.” As the smell of chocolate and walnuts permeated her senses, Rey used up the last of her will to refuse the treats.

“I’ll have hers!” Rose offered and took two squares, keeping her word. 

After completing their check-in - and two more brownies for Rose - Maz handed them their keys and they took their bags upstairs to their rooms. Before she even turned the key in the lock, Rey’s phone rang. The minuscule amount of levity she’d experienced shattered into a thousand pieces upon seeing the name on the caller ID. 

“Hi Mister Snoke. We just checked in. The mechanic said we’ll be back on the road first thing in the morning.”

“Good.” The curt greeting on the other end of the call told her everything she needed to know about his mood. _Not good._ “Now Kira, when am I going to hear the new song? You promised me a new summer hit, and so far, it’s crickets and crap at the very most.”

Rey sighed. She was in a funk. The constant pressure from her manager and the record label didn’t help an iota. “I’m working on it, Mister Snoke. I’m trying but I feel so uninspired.” 

“I simply could not care less, _young Rey._ You start recording in ten days and I can’t have you showing up to the studio with nothing. I sent Rosalyn the songs written by Armitage Hux.”

The old jerk knew Rose hated when he called her that name, but he seemed to be doing it just for kicks.

“Mr. Snoke, with all due respect, that song sounds exactly like my last three songs. I want to write my own words and play them on my own guitar - “

_“Rey!_ You haven’t sent me a single line. You can write your own songs for the next album. Right now, you have to hold up your part of the deal. Read the song and learn to like it. Get. It. Done!” he raised his voice. She knew when Snoke used her real name that he was pissed. She didn’t blame him. He was right about her falling short of what she promised. However, the added vice of pressure only served to further dry out her creativity.

“Yes sir, I’ll work on it.”

“Did you speak with Poe Dameron?” Fake dating another celebrity was the lowest form of self promotion. Rey did not want to stoop. 

“No, sir. I think Rose set up a breakfast meeting for us next week though.” She rolled her eyes, happy to have this particular conversation over the phone. 

“Good. We’ll make sure you’re seen. And Kira? Do try to eat some protein and green vegetables for supper, you’re looking a bit - oh, how should I say it - _rotund_ in the tabloids lately. Chocolate is for unsuccessful people.”

“Will do.” She pushed the red hang-up button and for the second time in less than an hour looked for something to smash. 

Instead, she fell back into the fluffy white duvet. She breathed in the sweet blend of freshly cut grass and clean laundry wafting through the open window, mixed with chocolate brownies and the distinct aroma of the antique wood in the house. 

How long she slept, Rey had no idea. The sun was gone and the night sky was lit up by stars and fireflies. She needed to leave the confines of the room and insert herself in the scenery outside.

She dug through her travel bag and found a pair of jean shorts, three-quarter-sleeve baseball shirt and a black ball cap - perfectly innocuous. 

Rey stepped out into the night unnoticed and took lazy strides towards no particular destination. She admired the delicate storefronts, laced with small town charm and just the right amount of kitch to make them eclectic. 

As she approached what appeared to be a hardware store, she heard the clear sounds of a guitar riff. The notes were crisp, simple but emotive - whoever was playing them was obviously feeling melancholic, if not downright sad. 

She expected to see an angst filled teenager, or a lonely college co-ed. What she most certainly did not expect to see was the dark, brooding handsome face of the biggest man she’s ever seen in real life. Wearing distressed denim and a blue plaid shirt cuffed above the elbows, he sat on a stool playing, looking down at his guitar. Although lush inky waves covered parts of his face, she could see his plump parted lips and prominent nose. 

He looked up at her, stilling his guitar and taking her in with the most beguiling pair of dark eyes. 

“That sounds really good! Did you write that?” 

He nodded without answering.

Rey felt like a complete idiot just standing there after she’d just intruded on his personal moment. “See ya!” She waved and moved to leave him there, wishing for once she wasn’t such a feral human when there wasn’t someone there to always tell her what to do.

“Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Kira Takodana?”

His words stopped her cold “Once or twice. Why? Are you a fan?”

He placed his guitar aside, leaning on the store’s railing where the sign _Solo_ ‘n _Son_ hung. “Not really. I like her earlier stuff, before she sold out.”

Those words stung. “That seems harsh. You don’t like her music? She plays sold out shows all across the globe. It seems someone must like something about her.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at her. 

“Don’t get me wrong, she’s a total babe! But her music is a little cookie-cutter Nashville manufactured crap these days. Her earlier stuff like _the Awakening_ was a lot better.”

She could feel herself get fired up, the heat rising to her cheeks as this complete stranger tore into her unknowingly. “Tell me how you really feel,” Rey replied sarcastically as she decided he was not worth the trouble, but something made her ask. “Better how?”

“It had a lot more heart. This new stuff reeks of Luke Skywalker.”

Was he trying to get under her skin? “Maybe she’s just trying to find her heart.”

“Maybe she sold it.”

“Wow. I suppose it’s easy to criticize from the sidelines, with the morsel of information you have,” she spat, annoyed that she let him get to her. Rey thought that by now, after five years of living under the microscope of public opinion, she would’ve developed a thicker skin “I gotta go. Nice talking to you, I guess,” she hissed and turned on her heel, determined to forget about this ass immediately.

“Did I offended you? I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were the president of her fan club.” 

She kept walking, refusing to give into his taunting. Nothing good could come from continuing this conversation. 

It didn’t take her long to find herself back at the Inn, it’s bright red door already a familiar sight. Upstairs in her room, she tucked herself in her bed and sunk into the pillows for an exceptionally terrible and restless sleep. 

Rose woke her at the crack of dawn, their tour bus repaired and ready to take them to the next stop of her cross-country tour. Rey took her seat in the back, plugged her phone in for a charge, pulled her privacy curtain down and mentally prepared herself for the day.

“Oh shit!” She exclaimed as she remembered her travel bag was still upstairs in her room. 

Rose was nowhere to be found, the roadies and her band were busy getting all the equipment safely on board. She decided she could make herself useful and get it, after all, it was her stuff. 

“Back so soon, child?” Maz smiled at her from behind her desk, looking up over her glasses.

“I just forgot my bag. Is it ok if I quickly go back upstairs?” 

“Scoot!” She waved her off, returning to her own business. 

For it only being her room for one night, leaving the room saddened her to an unexpected extent. She got pangs - actual _pangs_ \- when she looked around one last time while retrieving her bag and closed the door behind her. 

“Thanks again, Maz! I’ll see you soon okay?” 

“Sooner than you might think!” The tiny innkeeper winked as she left through the kitchen door.

Outside, the morning sun was already burning hot, the dewy grass sticking to her toes as she made her way back to - 

“Holy shit!” The bus was gone. “They left! Oh my god! They left _without me!”_

And then, an even more terrifying truth set it. “My _phone!!!!!!!”_ She squeaked out, panic setting in a tight knot in the pit of her stomach. 

Rey searched around for a solution frantically, her mind bouncing between chastising herself and mentally screaming at Rose when finally a police car pulled up beside her.

“Oh, thank god! Sir! Officer, please I need to use your phone. My bus, they left me - _oh!”_ She ran around to the driver’s side of the vehicle and finally made eye contact with the officer lazily exiting the police car. The same man who had unknowingly insulted her, the same man whom she single handedly blamed for her terrible sleep and really, the source of her scattered mind this morning - stood before her in his short sleeved dark blue uniform. Smirking. 

“Sounds like you’re having a bad day, Miss Takodana.” 

“You knew,” she said dryly, momentarily forgetting her current predicament as pure, blinding rage flowed through her veins. He _was_ insulting her. “You’re an ass!” 

“Careful. You don’t want me to hold you in contempt do you?” His threats would’ve been more believable, if he didn’t punctuate them with a wink. “Get in.”

She did. Not like she had much of a choice now. 

No bus. No phone. No Rose. And now her only friend was this small town cop who seemed to hate her for no reason whatsoever.

_Silver linings my ass!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think :)


	2. Officer Solo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see Ben's POV and an introduction into his domestic situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you my love
> 
> [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae)
> 
> for beta'ing and making a beautiful moodboard for me that for whatever reason I can't post inside AO3 right now...hmm!

Life in Alderaan was slow on the best of days. Mind numbing dullness was the usual state of affairs. 

Officer Ben Solo - one of three policemen in the tiny Midwestern town - was out on his routinely lazy patrol when he saw the broken down tour bus get towed into his uncle’s shop. Filled with curiosity and happy to have a diversion in the drudgery of day-to-day, Ben strode inside. 

A number of people roamed the shop like ants, quickly going nowhere in particular. “What’s up, Chewie?” he asked his uncle, who gave him a surly shrug and a _meh_ under his bushy beard. 

“Can you have it fixed today? We have a show tomorrow night across the state.” A small brunette barked in an oddly intimidating tone of voice. 

Chewie didn’t seem phased one bit however. “Earliest I can do for you, lil’ lady, is tomorrow morning.”

“That will work fine thank you. Just - please if any other delays come up, let me know, okay?” Chewie nodded in response and walked away. 

Ben quickly took his spot, facing the petite beauty. “If you’re looking for a place to stay for yourself and Miss Takodana, I can recommend the Endor Inn right here in town. I know the owner and she runs a tight ship! Plus homemade brownies!” 

The woman regarded him with genuine surprise. “How did - “

Ben chuckled and pointed to his badge “I might not be as busy as city cops but I’m still a decent detective. I sort of figured from the big letters on the side of the bus that the odds were pretty good I’m right.”

The brunette beamed at him, a sigh of relief puffin from her chest. “Right! Listen, we don’t really want people to know she’s here. She’s been exhausted from touring and this little situation is kind of a blessing in disguise that would afford her a bit of a break. But if people knew she was here, they would probably swarm her.”

“Our lips our sealed, Miss - “

“Tico. Rose Tico. Thank you, officer.” 

“You can call me Ben.” 

“Thanks, Ben. Really appreciate this!” 

Rose grabbed her bag and left the shop, her hands dutifully typing on the cellphone in her hand. 

Definitely not a boring day. 

Maz phoned him some time in the afternoon to thank him for the recommendation and let him know the ladies had checked-in without incident. 

Maz - the little fireball - was one of his favourite people. A friend of his grandmother’s, she’d been his babysitter as a child and a caring friend when he’d needed most. 

Thinking of everything he’d lost always saddened him and his steps unwittingly took him towards the hardware store. The sign still bore their names but Jynn Erso took it over years ago. 

He found his old guitar where he left it - propped up against the wooden wall panel inside the store. It was well past midnight and the store was empty, the closing hour long gone. 

Ben loved music more than anything and playing his guitar was as close to peace as he got. It was almost poetic how that choice was also the source of all his heartaches.

His fingertips found the strings, the notes imprinted on his memory. The incomplete song was the last collaboration with his uncle, before everything changed and Ben made the choice to turn his back on the path set before him by his family’s legacy. 

A sudden presence pulled him out of his reverie. _She_ was watching him play his guitar, quickly approaching him. Ben tried - and desperately failed - to not drink her in. All tanned long legs and trim waisted - a tall drink of water, she affected him like a sudden summer rain on a hot day. 

_Gorgeous._

She left him speechless but when she turned to walk away, Ben came to his senses. He needed to talk to her, if even for a moment. 

Sharp of tongue, she didn’t back down to any of his teasing. Ben didn’t _mean_ to be an asshole - it was a naturally occurring phenomenon. 

Kira - or _Rey_ as he’d learned her real name was, after a search employing misuse of police resources - immediately got under his skin. Watching her walk away though, well, that was almost as pretty of sight as it was seeing her get irritated with him.

Ben thought he would never see her again, especially since he found out the next morning that Chewie kept his word and the tour bus was ready to get back on the road. 

Which is why now, seeing her in front of his squad car, so frazzled and in dire need of his help, left him utterly puzzled. Just for a brief moment. 

“Yeah, sorry about that, Rey. I’m kind of a dick in my spare time. But no worries, I’m back in my uniform now and Officer Solo is here to serve _and_ protect”. Ben cringed internally, part of him hoping she was too upset to notice his awkwardness while another, bigger part, hoped he’d had a stroke. At the very least that could explain his incessant blathering.

“Right. Thanks? I actually would love to just use your phone, if you don’t mind.” She bit into her plump bottom lip, her face filled with worry.

“Of course, here you go.” He handed her the phone and leaned his elbows on top of his car while he watched her pace the length of the sidewalk, waiting for someone to pick up. He tried to keep a professional manner about him, but it was nearly impossible not to take her in. She was flushed and covered in a light sheen of sweat, her big hazel eyes buried under stress crinkled brows as she left a voicemail.

“Ro. Hi! Remember me? Best friend and tour-mate? So yeah, it turns out you left me here in Alderaan. I have no phone so could you be a dear and phone this number at your earliest convenience? Thank you ever so much.” 

Ben found her sarcasm adorable. While he did feel sympathetic towards her misfortune, he was quite happy to get to spend some time with her and maybe even get to change her mind about him.

“Endor is going to be full because of the Festival but if you’d like, you can come to the station and wait for your friend to call back,” Ben spoke as Rey handed him back the phone. 

“I suppose I could do that.” She worried her bottom lip again. 

“Or you could come to my place?” he blurted out. Instant regret took over as he watched her expression turn suspicious. 

“Shit. I didn’t mean it to sound like I was hitting on you at seven am! All I meant was rather than waiting at the station you could wait at my house. I live on a tree farm with my mother just ten minutes out of town.”

“You want me to meet your _mother_?” 

Ben felt his jaw drop, uncertain about what he could say next. 

Her beaming smile was enough to break the awkward tension. “Sure that sounds really great, thanks!” Rey walked to the passenger side of the police car and let herself in. 

They drove in silence, Rey seemingly lost in the new scenery and her thoughts. As they approached the entry to his family’s property, she seemed to perk up a bit, facing him with a wide grin; that smile of hers, all sweet dimples and sparkly green eyes, took his breath away. “You didn’t tell me you have a _Christmas Tree_ farm!” 

“Yup. To be fair, it’s not mine. This is my parents’ place. My mother manages the business I just help when I can.” Ben replied, trying to keep his own bitterness about the entire arrangement at bay. This was no time to start combing out his endless list of regrets and wrong turns that pertained to his life and his family.

Leia greeted them eagerly on the deck, Bebe right behind her. The young redhead was like a sister to Ben, having lived in Leia’s care since her parents left her on the steps of the hardware store one night. They assumed they were transient workers, suddenly unable to take care of their baby, forced by their circumstances to leave her behind and hope somehow, someone in Alderaan would be able to give her a better life. 

That was sixteen years ago. Ben could not imagine life without his little sister. 

“Ben! You brought a date for breakfast!” Bebe squeaked and he could feel the tips of his ears turning hot and likely red. 

“Rey, this is my sister Bebe and my mother Leia. That lazy heap of fur over

there under the swing is Artoo. Somewhere around here there’s a Mainecoon named Threepio - also lazy as sin.” Ben chuckled nervously as he introduced his inner circle. 

“This is Rey. Her friends accidentally left her at Maz’ and I thought this would be a nicer place for her to wait for her ride than at the station.” 

“Better food too.” His mother winked as she shook Rey’s outstretched hand. “Come in dear, goodness aren’t you a beauty!” Leia held Rey’s hand as she ushered her inside, Bebe in tow.

Ben paused for a moment as he carded his fingers through the old dog’s fur coat, wondering if this was possibly the dumbest idea he’s ever had.

_Probably._

Inside, his mother stood across the counter from where Rey sat next to Bebe, eagerly pouring coffee for the girls. “Ben, do you want a top up before you leave?” his mother asked with the pot in hand. 

“I was actually thinking I might stay. Take the day off and make sure Rey’s friends get a hold of her in time.” 

“Great!” His mother smirked and plated him one of her signature oversized cinnamon buns. 

Bebe scrutinized Rey carefully, who drank her coffee silently. “Rey, has anyone ever told you that you look just like Kira Takodana?” 

Rey stilled, just for a moment and gave his sister a polite smile. “Once or twice.” She answered before her fingers picked at the pastry in front of her. 

“She’s my all time fave! I love her music so much! And - oh my god - I heard her tour bus drove through the town yesterday but no one saw it.” The teenager, a ball of impossible energy exclaimed and Rey turned to face Ben, one brow arched in slight contempt while she mouthed, _See?_

He had to chuckle. “Bebe, don’t you have school to get to?” 

“Crap!” She stood from her chair as if bitten.

“Language!” Leia shouted behind the teen, who left in a puff. 

“So Rey, what brings you to town?” Leia turned her attention to their guest. 

“Actually we were just passing through. We were heading to Omaha.”

“Where’s home for you dear?” his mother asked with genuine curiosity and Ben was happy that for once, Leia’s unfiltered ways could benefit him. He was dying to get to know this girl, but he refused to act like a star stricken fan girl. 

Rey continued to sip her coffee followed by a bite of cinnamon roll. “I live in Nashville right now and have for about six years. Before that I lived in Philadelphia and New York. I can’t really say any of those places are _home_ though. I guess I’m not the set roots type,” she sighed, a dash of hidden pain revealed. 

“Ah! A big city girl! I’m a reformed city girl myself, I only moved back here when my parents couldn’t take care of the business any longer. I fully intended to pack up and leave after a few years but here we are, thirty years later!” Leia laughed. 

“I can see why you stayed. There’s a magic about this place.” Rey sighed with appreciation and Ben could see by the spark in his mother’s eyes that she was in complete awe of this girl. 

“There’s nothing more rewarding than living off your own work. We plant every single one of these trees with love. We care for them and sell them here in town. Seeing the joy our trees bring to our customers is a precious reward.” 

“If only bills could be paid with _joy,”_ Ben snarled under his breath, but not quiet enough.

“Benjamin! I told you, you worry too much! Everything will be fine you do not need to make a scene.” 

He wanted to argue. Ben was suddenly filled with rage hearing his mother's nonchalance while fully knowing the status of the farm’s financials. Fully aware of his own part in their misfortune…

“Maybe later you can show me around?” Rey broke his trance, her voice soothing him like honey. 

Ben’s mother smiled into her coffee with a mischievous glint in her eyes that darted between her son and Rey. 

“Sure. Let me change and I’ll give you the dime tour.” Ben quickly made his way upstairs, taking the steps one at a time. 

He carefully removed his gun holster and placed his weapons in the safe. A pair of distressed jeans and a black tee were his usual wardrobe, sometimes topped with a plaid shirt of some kind. In a word - comfortable. Very unlike the veritable superstar waiting down stairs, probably looking down her nose at everything around. 

_No. She’s not the type._

He found Rey at the counter, right where he left her. Maybe a touch more pissed off than when he ran upstairs.

“What’s up?” 

“Rose called me. Apparently they got to Omaha before they realized I was gone and the bus broke down again! She said they won’t be able to get me for at least three days!” Her eyes were brimming with tears. 

“You can stay here!” He insisted, out of the blue.

“Yes! You absolutely should! I insist!” Once again, he was more than happy to let his mother interfere.

For once, it seemed that the stars had aligned in his favour. Now, if he could just manage to not fuck this up in the spectacular manner he always had with everything good that came his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for reading! so excited you're on board with this little country lovin Reylo story :)  
> let me know what you think!


	3. Awakened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey tries to adjust to her new surroundings and gets to know the Solo’s a little better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SageMcMae for betaing this❤️ And letting me run ideas by you, even when they are ridiculous!

Rey and Rose had been lifelong friends. The two girls, along with Rose’s older sister, Paige, had grown up in the American foster system together. Life wasn’t exactly easy, but it would’ve been a lot harder had they not had each other.

Rey pushed herself to think about those times, to remember how much the little peppy brunette meant to her as a means to help her abate the all-consuming, borderline murderous rage flowing through her system. 

_I’m sorry Rey Rey, but there is no way we can get you any earlier. At least three days. We’ll reschedule the show with apologies and offer partial refunds. You’ll just have to stay put in Alderaan for the time being. Love ya, chicka!!!_

Then Rose hung up. 

Three days. 

Officer Ben Solo - or Officer _Jerkface_ as she’d privately named him when he casually revealed he knew her true identity all along - had somehow transformed into her knight in shining armor. He offered her a safe place to stay, the company of his feisty mother and adorable sister and, of utmost importance, Ben ensured her privacy remained intact. 

The silver lining of the entire mishap was the unplanned break she was given - no phone meant no Snoke. No Snoke meant a time-out from the constant pressure he applied to every piece of Rey’s private and professional life. No fake dating plots, no predictable songs to read or show fake enthusiasm towards. She could just be Rey Kenobi, twenty-some-year-old small town folksy festival enthusiast. 

As she and Ben strolled about his family’s tree farm, Rey quietly took in the peaceful surroundings. There was crisp, piney greenery everywhere. The fresh scent pleasantly overwhelming her senses. 

“These are balsam fir over here, and over on this side we have Tamarack spruce,” Ben spoke as he showed her around. “I imagine Kira Takodana is more of a fake tree kind of person.” 

“That was unkind,” she replied, affronted and stung by his words. 

“Sorry,” he apologized sheepishly, fiddling with the frames of his aviator sunglasses uncomfortably. “I’m being an asshole again. It’s not you. It’s just this farm - Christmas trees - it’s a lot of work. It can take some saplings ten years to grow. We’re always fighting droughts, bugs, vermin and, as of late, the trend towards modernization and people choosing cheap plastic trees. My family dedicated their entire lives to this farm but, short of a miracle, this will be our last Christmas.” 

Rey stuffed her hands deeper in her pockets, uncertain about what would be the right thing to say. “I believe in miracles,” she said honestly, the optimism surprising to her. Ben smiled and his tensed shoulders visibly relaxed.

“Me too. A lot can happen in six months.” 

They finished their tour without much conversation, Rey enjoying the quiet as much as the company. Every time she seemed to steal a glance of him, Ben’s eyes met hers and he would turn away. A cute blush would stain his cheeks, creeping up to the tips of his adorably oversized ears. 

Back at the farm house, Leia had prepared an obscenely large lunch for them: egg salad and tuna salad sandwiches, steaming bowls of homemade chicken noodle soup with fresh baked rolls, spinach and strawberry summer salad. An impossibly large apple pie was cooling on the rack. Rey’s mouth watered as she took everything in. When she realized that for once, there was no one there to monitor her meals and tell her _no_ , she rejoiced internally. 

At some point during their meal, Ben’s phone rang and he excused himself, leaving Rey and Leia alone with the veritable feast. 

“So how exactly did the two of you cross paths?” Leia asked with a sly smile.

Rey swallowed the last of her soup before answering. “We actually met last night. I went out for a walk and I pretty much stumbled onto him. He was playing his guitar and I - “

“Ben Solo was playing guitar?” His mother interrupted Rey, her sandwich suspended in mid-air, in what appeared to be total astonishment. 

“Yes and, actually, he is quite good.”

“He’s fantastic! He’s got musical talent in his genes and he’s a natural but he never plays anymore. I know that I’m biased because he’s my son, but my goodness, can that boy play guitar. And vocals! He sings like an angel!” 

“Ben sings?”

“Not any more.” His surly voice startled the two women, who were too enthralled in their conversation to notice his return.

“It’s such a shame You should’ve heard him Rey.” 

“Mother, that’s enough. I’ve asked you to please drop it.” 

“Fine. Fine. Pie anyone?” Leia didn’t seem phased by his tone but changed the trajectory of the conversation to appease him. 

For her part, the entire exchange made Rey exceptionally curious. Though she only heard him play guitar for a few moments, she could tell there was something raw and special about Ben’s talent. He _was_ a natural. It baffled her that he dismissed it so easily when Nashville was littered with people that didn’t possess a fraction of his abilities.

The unexplainable refusal to embrace his own talent was not the only aspect of Officer Solo that Rey found intriguing. In spite of his less than stellar first impression, he turned out to be a really nice guy. Decent job, wonderful family. Not to mention that he was built like a modern day rendition of Michelangelo’s David with deep soulful eyes and a set of absolutely perfect plush lips. Lips that were currently shaped into an adorable pout.

So why did he still live at home? And why was he still single?

_Come to think of it, he never did say he was single._

Rey suddenly felt stupid. She was practically drooling over him and she wasn’t even certain if she liked him.

“Ice cream dear?” Leia’s voice brought her back into focus. A generous slice of steaming pie sat in front of her, ready to be devoured. 

“Yes, please!” Rey answered enthusiastically. 

“I love a woman with a healthy appetite!” Leia chuckled and dished out two scoops of vanilla ice cream next to the flavorful dessert.

_Kira Takodana eats protein bars and green raw vegetables. Screw that bitch!_ Rey smiled and sliced into the pie. 

They finished their meal in comfortable silence as Leia tidied up around her kitchen. She left to tend to some of her chores outside, followed by their unenthusiastic old pooch. 

A warm breeze blew through the open door, tousling Rey’s hair gently. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh scent of pine and freshly cut grass. She was entirely at ease.

“I can’t remember the last time I spent an entire day without hearing traffic,” she mused out loud. 

“Do you miss it?” Ben asked. 

“Nope.” She ate the last piece of the pie on her plate - the crust was always last to get eaten.

A sudden noise of trotting boots coming from upstairs surprised both of them. 

“Let me guess - Santa?” she joked nervously. 

Ben didn’t respond. He stood and walked up the stairs, slowly but with purpose. He didn’t seem phased one bit. 

Moments later, after listening to what sounded very much like a hockey brawl taking place upstairs, officer Solo returned. Another shorter but equally beefy police officer trailed in behind him. 

She’s seen that look before, many times. 

“I can’t believe it! Kira Takodana! I’m such a huge fan!” he spoke, his eyes wide and a handsome - albeit goofy - smile stretching from ear to ear. 

Ben rolled his eyes with obvious annoyance. 

“Please, call me Rey.” 

“Rey. Beautiful! I meant the name, not you. I mean no, of course you are beautiful. Flawless really,” he stuttered and Rey giggled as Ben rolled his eyes again.

“Rey, this is officer Finn Sands. He thought it would be a good idea to casually break into my house and get a good look at you. Generally, he isn’t a totally deranged human.” Ben poured himself another cup of coffee and sat back down. 

Finn shook her outstretched hand between his. “I’m sorry, I know you don’t want people to know who you are and I promise to be more chill from now on. I won’t act like a dumb ass but I really am such a huge fan of your music!”

“Apparently that makes one of you.” Rey glanced side-ways in Ben’s direction, not missing the return of the crimson colour in his cheeks. 

“Oh yeah, Solo here is not much of a country music fan, not since - “

“Okay, you came, you gawked and fawned like a little schoolgirl. Time to leave, unless you have some actual business here?” Ben interrupted. 

Finn raised his arms in surrender. “Fine, fine. I deserve the hostility. Phasma actually sent me over. Teedo’s offer fell through so the town needs to buy a couple dozen trees from you. If you have some to spare.” 

Ben seemed to ponder for a moment, arms crossed across his exceptionally broad chest. 

Rey gulped audibly, dry swallowing as she couldn’t stop herself from imagining what he would look like plaid-less.

“I’ll talk to my mother but I think we could swing that. The more immediate issue is that we have no labourers. We haven’t hired any yet. Leia can’t lift anything too heavy so that leaves me and Bebe.” 

“I can help!” Rey blurted out, both men turning to face her with surprise. 

“You’re going to help us cut down, pack and load _trees._ ” Ben’ s brows arched into his hairline.

Rey crossed her arms in front of her chest, mimicking Ben’s stance. “I’m not as much of a spoiled brat as you seem to think, Solo!” 

Finn chuckled at her indignant tone. 

“Besides” she added “I want to pitch in. It’s the least I can do to repay you for letting me freeload for the next three days.” 

“You’re here for three more days?” Finn didn’t make any efforts to hide his enthusiasm. “I can help too. Captain Phasma will let me take some time off, if it’s for the festival.” 

“Well, aren’t you just a little helper all of the sudden,” Ben remarked sarcastically. 

“I’m an active participant in the community. I’m helpful!”

“You’re transparent.” 

Finn finally looked slightly embarrassed, his eyes suddenly searching the floor. Rey enjoyed the entire exchange, feeling her own grin stretch wide on her face. 

Ben’s gaze softened when his eyes met hers. “Fine. You can both help but, in the interest of expediting the process, I’ll do all the cutting. You two can be in charge of netting and loading.” 

Rey wasn’t entirely sure what that meant but she was up for it. 

“ Is there any way I could borrow some clothes until I get into town and buy some? I hate to ask, since you’ve already done so much for me,” Rey inquired softly.

“Get out.” Ben pointed to the door and Finn’s shoulders slumped before he had the chance to say anything. 

Once Officer Sands was out of the room, Ben faced her once more. “Although I’m positive Leia and Bebe wouldn’t mind lending you some stuff, I doubt any of them would fit you. I feel like Gulliver around here.” Rey laughed and made a mental note to compliment him on his taste in literature. 

“I have some shirts you could borrow. You’ll swim in them but they’ll do for a day of work. Hope you like plaid!” He opened a hallway closet where he spend a few moments digging around. 

“Red or blue?” he held out the garments for her inspection. 

“I’ll take blue. I think wearing matching red plaid while packing Christmas trees in the middle of summer is too Hallmark-channel, even for this town.” 

“Fair.” Ben tossed her a shirt and took one final swig of his coffee. “You can go change upstairs if you want or…” He trailed off and turned his face, clearly caught off guard and flustered by Rey casually discarding her hoodie. “...Umm ...or do it right here, in the middle of the kitchen. That’s fine.” 

If she was entirely honest with herself, Rey got the exact reaction she’d hoped for. 

Rey pulled the shirt over her thin cami. Ben’s assumption was correct. She was swimming in it. Carefully buttoning it, she gathered the extra fabric at the bottom and tied it around her waist. 

“This works! Thanks!” She averted her eyes from Ben’s gaze, focusing on diligently cuffing her sleeves. There was something so intense about the way he stared at her, his eyes serious and dark, almost like a wild animal on a hunt. 

“That Finn is such an odd duck!” Leia’s voice broke the tension. “Nice boy, but odd! He said the city needs our trees for the festival. Maybe next time they’ll ask us directly instead of price haggling and getting screwed by those crooks from Tatooine,” she commented with a self satisfied smirk. 

“Rey’s helping,” Ben announced.

Leia’s smirk transformed into an all-out smile. “Wonderful! Yes, I did seem to hear something about that from Officer Sands. But honey, you need to do something about that hair.” 

Rey wondered if Finn had spilled the beans. Did Leia know her true identity? She wasn’t acting any different…

“What’s the matter with my hair?” Rey inquired, while she ran her fingers through her long waves. 

“Nothing dear! It’s gorgeous! And we want to keep it that way! If you’re going to handle trees, you need to pull it up and out of the way. If you get sap in there, the only way to get rid of it is to cut it out.” 

Rey didn’t like the sound of that one bit. 

“Ben here is the best braider I know. He learned it from my mother,” Leia volunteered the surprising piece of information, beaming with pride. 

“Really?” 

“Yup.”

“Wanna braid mine?” Rey asked, unexpected butterflies fluttering in her belly. 

“Great idea, Ben!” Leia beamed and produced a comb and elastics seemingly out of thin air.

Ben gnawed the inside of his lip, his eyes darting from between Rey and his mother.

“Fine,” he hissed through clenched teeth. He seemed annoyed or maybe just embarrassed. 

Rey sat on one of the stools at the kitchen island, her hair flowed down her back, expectant. 

At first, his touch was tentative. Almost like he was nervous, treating her like she was about to get spooked and run away. 

She never expected those massive, callused hands had the capacity to be so gentle. He combed out a few knots using his fingers, the tips barely touching her scalp. The sensation felt like static energy - intense and overwhelming. Ben brushed her hair back using the comb, taking pieces and expertly weaving them into a French braid - she assumed, based on the same technique Paige Tico used when they were kids. 

“Done.” Ben’s hot breath sounded in her ear. 

_So close_. 

He lingered there, his lips almost touching her. Rey found herself wishing more than anything that he would close the distance and end the unbearable tension that had suddenly built between them. His fingers ghosted over her arms, raising a trail of tiny goosebumps in their wake. 

“Looks good! You’re ready for some hard labour! Now scoot!” Leia interrupted and the moment evaporated into the thick summer air. 

There was _something_ about this place, this house and most of all _him_ that had Rey feeling excited and hopeful. Like her senses were suddenly awakened - thawed - after a long frozen hibernation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys!!!!!!! I hope you’re enjoying this bit of summer sweetness and please check out the other fics in the Plaid Paramour collection ❤️


	4. Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben shares some of Alderaan's traditions with Rey and they spend an entire afternoon together being cute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing this messy chapter and for all the wonderful suggestions that resulted in this mess making actual sense!  
> xoxo
> 
> Fair warning, this chapter is all kinds of fluffly fluff!  
> This weekend is a long weekend in Canada so I'm positing now because I won't be around the computer all weekend!

_I’m going to kill them. Both of them. I know all the best hiding spots and they will literally never find their bodies._

_Ben plotted as he paced outside waiting for Rey._

When Leia returned, he instantly bolted out of the kitchen. Cornering him into braiding Rey’s hair was over the line, even for someone as meddlesome and pushy as his mother. Luckily, Rey was entirely ignorant of Alderaan’s traditions. At least for the time being.

“I cannot believe Kira Takodana is going to help us get these trees ready!” Finn squeaked and giggled. A fully grown police officer was acting like a teenage girl.

“You need to lock it down!” Ben shrilled through his clenched teeth.

Finn looked him directly in the eye, unphased. “You lock it down! You’re acting like such an asshole today! Did you think you’re just going to hide her and keep her all to yourself?” Finn‘s voice croaked as he made an effort - and a poor effort at that - to be quiet.

“Dude! You fuckin’ snuck into my house, made a spectacle of yourself, just to look at her. What was your end game exactly?” Ben had exercised superhuman levels of self-restraint earlier, when he hadn’t immediately throttled Finn upon finding him in Bebe’s room.

The shorter man’s shoulders slumped a bit. “I didn’t have one, alright? I was just going to take a picture. Shush now! Don’t embarrass me in front of her!” he whispered as Rey and Leia approached.

“Too late for that bud. Just chill out.”

Rey standing there wearing his shirt did things to him. Things he was fully intending to ignore. Ben kept reminding himself that she was a music superstar and after three days she would be out of his life. Only the memories would remain - maybe her delicious scent imbedded in his shirt - that will more than certainly serve as a torture device. It was in his best interest not to add any fuel to the already roaring fire.

Ben sighed, trying to clear his mind and focus on their task.

“Okay. I will cut down the trees. You guys have to carefully take them to the netting area, fold in the branches so they don’t bend and break and then pull them through the net. Questions?”

Rey laughed nervously. “So many! But we’ll manage!”

“Bebe will be home soon. She’ll give you kids a hand. Good luck and thank you, Rey, for helping out.” Leia left them, winking at him as if they were co-conspirators in a devious endeavor.

__

_Seriously. So. Much. Murder._

__

Ben grumbled. His mother always meant well, but she had no sense of when to back down.

He sighed. “The sooner we start, the sooner we’ll get this done and dusted. Let’s go, troops!”

The entire operation went a lot smoother than he’d imagined. Rey and Finn worked diligently to net all the trees and stacked them in a neat pile. Once he was done cutting, Ben and Finn stacked them in the farm’s delivery truck. Bebe arrived in time to help them deliver and set up.

The statuesque form of Brianne Phasma awaited in front of the gazebo set up in the middle of town square. Next to her - as always - the Festival’s organizer, Dolphed Mitaka, hovered nervously.

Ben was absolutely certain that Mitaka had an alternate motive for involving the chief of police. Every year, the anxious man required her assistance with the events organization, regardless of the fact that the town was filled with other willing busy-bodies with little to occupy their day to day. Unlike his mother however, Ben was not a meddler. Mitaka would have to work up to courage and _talk_ to Brianne on his own.

“Officer Solo, Officer Sands! Right on time! And you brought reinforcements!” Mitaka greeted them with a beaming smile.

“You know my sister, Bebe and this is Rey. She’s freeloading at the farm for a few days,” Ben joked as he helped Rey hop out of the truck bed, not missing the snarky glare she threw his way.

Mitaka took a long hard look at Rey, the kind of double-take people did when they recognized someone from _somewhere_ , but the context wasn’t quite right. “Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Kira Takodana?”

Ben watched as Rey’s eyes narrowed, for a millisecond, before answering nonchalantly. “You really think so?”

Mitaka nodded with enthusiasm while Phasma and Ben smirked at each other. It was kind of nice to be _in_ on a secret. He also wondered if he sounded just as idiotic when he had asked the same question.

“We appreciate all the help ladies.” Captain Phasma stepped up and shook the girls’ hands before Mitaka could say anything else. “Us four will handle the unloading and the install. You two untangle and string the twinkle lights.

“Sounds good!” Rey squealed with more excitement than Ben had ever seen anyone express at the mind-numbingly dull task Phasma had handed out.

They made quick work of it; the lush spruce lined the boundary of the town square and the outside of the oversized gazebo. Rey and Bebe hung the lights in the trees and Phasma helped gather them in bunches over the gazebo. They wouldn’t be turned on until the first night of the festival but it was already obvious hat the entire area was going to sparkle with the soft white light.

Bebe linked her arm through the crook of Ben’s elbow and leaned into him, resting her ginger head on his upper arm. “So! I heard Rey’s staying with us a couple more days.”

“Yup.”

“Sweet! Heard momma roped you into braiding her hair too.”

His heart fluttered, remembering the little sounds of contentment Rey had made while he handled her locks, desperately trying to avoid touching anything else.

“You’re well informed.” He tried to sound unaffected. Bebe threw her head back with a hearty chuckle.

“That woman is a damn badger when there’s something she wants! And what she wants, sweet big brother, is Miss Rey.”

“She best start wanting for something else. Rey is leaving in three days and we’re not likely going to see her again. And if Leia keeps up with her bull-in-a-China-shop subtlety, she may decide to leave us sooner.” Ben scoffed, his annoyance with his mother continuing to simmer right under the surface.

“Alright, be that way. But you can’t seriously stand there and tell me you haven’t noticed how utterly perfect she is for you.” His sister’s words stung.

“That’s nonsense. You don’t know anything about her. None of us do”

“I know chemistry when I see it.” The teenager smirked and winked before turning on her heel to lend a hand to Mitaka, who was busy tidying up the work area.

“Little pest.” Ben muttered. Bebe was a teen and by definition walked around starry-eyed and starved for romance. There was nothing between him and Rey.

“The name of the hardware store - is that _your_ name?” Rey’s voice chimed and interrupted his reverie.

She had her hands tucked deep into the pockets of her cut off jean shorts and her shirt - _his shirt -_ billowed in the soft summer breeze.

“Ah - yah. That was my dad’s shop. I’m the _son_ in the name but that’s the extent of my involvement. One of my grandmother’s friends took it over after we lost Han.” Saying his father’s name hurt, a sharp burn, like a hot knife through his heart.

Rey’s eyes widened and filled with sympathy. He’d grown into detesting that look of pity he often received. Ben absolutely did not want her looking at him that way.

“It’s alright, it’s been years since. We manage.” She nodded, somehow understanding his discomfort and didn’t push for more.

“Is that an ice cream truck?” Rey asked excitedly as she pointed in the direction of Ackbar’s _Starkiller Softserve_ truck and Ben was more than happy to change the subject.

“Yeah. Pick your poison,” Ben offered.

“I’ll treat. That’s the least I can do,” she answered, walking backwards towards the ice cream.

“You have no money remember?”

A pretty pink blush dusted her tanned cheeks. “Right. I suppose you can add this to my tab.”

“This one’s on me, Kenobi. Thanks for the hard labour and all.” Ben grinned as he passed her, wiggling his fingers behind him until he felt her delicate little hand engulfed in his.

_This feels way too good to end happily._

But even the dark clouds surrounding his mind constantly could not eclipse Rey’s effect on him.

“What is this festival for anyways?” she questioned as she brushed a few tendrils of hair that came loose from her braid, eagerly accepting her strawberry cone.

“Here you go, little lady. And Officer Solo, your usual?” Ackbar asked, even though he didn’t need to. Ben was a slave to his routine, rarely making any changes.

“Pistachio?” Rey cocked an eyebrow. Ben only nodded while he helped himself to a mouthful of his soft serve. “Very grown-up,” she commended. Before he knew what was happening she’d risen on her tippy-toes to steal some.

Laughter bubbled out of his chest. “You could’ve asked, you know. I could write you up for assaulting a police officer for this.”

She smirked mischievously, the soft light of the twilight making her eyes sparkle. “What would be the fun in that?”

At some point they started walking, slowly strolling around the quiet, nearly deserted streets of downtown Alderaan.

“As I was saying, before being rudely interrupted and robbed of my frozen treats, this is the Alderaan Festival of Lights. The tradition - legend, I suppose - is that singles will meet their intended match during the festival. Single ladies hang around the lit trees and they will sort of - oh, I don’t know - I guess _imprint_ on their person? They don’t have to be dating or even know each other but come Christmas Eve they will end up together. Or so the story goes.”

In reality, Ben had heard the story thousands of times, recited by his mother, his grandmother, Padme, Maz, and even Jyn had narrated it once or twice.

When he was younger, he’d believed it. Ben always lived with the idea that there was a girl out there for him, a perfect match in every way, who would complete his life. But stories were for children and Ben had been forced to grow up.

He had Rey pegged as deeply cynical in the same way he was, and expected her to scoff at the entire notion. “So it’s basically like a Christmas in July, with a very delayed payoff,” she surmised. Ben laughed and stuffed his hands deeper into his jean’s pockets, mirroring her stance.

“But how do you know who the single ladies are? Do we wear like a sign or something? _Looking for a mate. Call this number for a good time?”_ This time Ben chortled, his booming laugh sounding well into the night. He’d truly hoped he could sidestep this particular subject forever.

“That would be subtle. Naw, the single ladies wear their hair in braids, actually.” He felt himself blush, the heat rising to his face.

“Oh, so what you’re saying is if I’m not careful, I may end up with a hubby delivered to my front door by Santa Claus?”

“Don’t make any eye contact with men, just to be sure.” 

“Got it. Act antisocial.” She bit down on her lip, an adorable nervous habit. “So how come you haven’t snagged up one of these braided bellas around town?”

“I don’t usually come to this thing. Not really my scene.” The last time he’d attended the festival was also the last time he’d seen his uncle. It had been that summer which sent Ben’s life into a downwards spiral.

“Fair enough.” She shrugged and finished off the last of her ice cream cone.

“Wanna get out of here? I’m about to overdose on Christmas spirit.” He knew it wasn’t smart to go off alone with Rey. He knew it would probably end up badly for him.

“Sure! Where to?” She grinned up at him, the ice cream moustache and sweaty wisps of hair sticking to her beautiful face smoothed all her jagged edges. For the first time since meeting Rey, Ben didn’t feel intimidated by her.

“Have you ever heard of night fishing?”

“Is that when you fish at night?” She smirked.

Ben felt his mouth grow dry, watching her little pink tongue dart past her plump lip and lick the sticky melty mess she made of her fingers.

“Yeah. Have you done it?”

She giggled, the sound ringing into the night sky. “Name just kind of gives it away. Sounds good though, especially after a hot day of work!”

He really liked the way she always seemed to razzle him. Most people were generally too scared of him to attempt it, but she was a breath of fresh air. “Cool. Let’s get a move on Kenobi.”

“Right behind you Solo!”

When he met her, and even earlier in the morning, he thought she was trouble. Now, about to step with her into the night after she’d accepted his poorly thought out invitation, he knew, with utter certainty, that this girl was going to ruin him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up! Fisshin in the Dark - yes, I went full out summer in the country and that is totally a Nitty Gritty Band Reference!


	5. Kiss the Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben fishing in the dark :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you RebelRebel for the title of this chapter! Yes! it's totally little mermaid inspired although originally I didn't intend it that way...but sometimes you just gotta go with it!  
> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing this chapter and for all the wonderful encouraging words!  
> 

“Is this a good time to let you know that one, I’ve never fished and two, I’m not much of a swimmer?”

Rey shifted in the passenger seat of Ben’s truck, the back of her bare legs awkwardly unsticking from the leather upholstery. The unpleasant feeling distracted her from the humming nervous energy that coursed through her veins at the speed of light.

If only for a moment.

Ben quickly glanced at her before his eyes returned to the dark country road. “I’ll give you a life vest, although there’s no reason for you to be in the water. Fishing is pretty effortless, really. We bait; then we wait. These bass love the fireflies, believe it or not, so they lie in wait and come out to gorge at night.”

“Vampires.”

As Ben laughed loudly, his face softened. The smile lines around his onyx eyes deepened and gave him an air of effortless confidence. That metamorphosis was rapidly becoming one of Rey’s favourite things about him.

The entire day had been perfectly imperfect. Being left behind in Alderaan had transformed from a catastrophe of epic proportions into a very welcomed, albeit unplanned, vacation. Meeting the Solo’s - especially Ben - who gave her shelter, clothes, a job (so to speak) - was nothing short of a blessing. The butterflies stirring in her belly every time he snuck a peek at her were even more unexpected.

Rey had spent all her adult life effectively under supervision. Snoke had never allowed her to date unless he could spin it into a publicity stunt. She’d tried it a few times but it was more work than it was worth it and the men had been vapid and self absorbed. Ben however, was a breath of fresh air.

While she mulled over the hectic events of her day, he veered his truck onto a gravel road, hidden from view by a thicket of trees. Rey rolled down her window and rested her chin on her folded arms, her head hanging out of the truck just slightly.

She inhaled deeply.

The air was thick with humidity but it was clean, untouched by the pollution that embossed the city.

As they eased into the clearing, Ben slowed his vehicle to a stop. The moon was bright and full and without a single cloud in the sky, it served as a spotlight.

The scenery around them was so beautiful in its simplicity; it took her breath away.

Rey stepped out of the truck to face the expanse of crystal clear water at the end of the wooden dock. Crickets and other vociferous night critters sounded off in a cacophonous symphony, the perfect soundtrack to accompany the tranquility unfolding beneath the starry night sky. All around them firebugs flitted through the tall grass and across the pond, resembling dozens of twinkle lights.

“Beautiful,” she whispered, certain that the pond would hear and accept her compliment.

“I was thinking the same thing.” Ben spoke in a low timbre that rumbled all the way down to her toes.

He busied himself digging around his truck bed long enough to give Rey an opportunity to hide her flushed face. She didn’t entirely understand why he had elicited such a strong reaction in her; she received dozens of compliments on a daily basis, from her looks to her talent and everything in between. Yet Ben’s sincerity and terrible flirting elated her.

And he held her hand. Thankfully he hadn’t noticed how sweaty her palm was - or if he did, he had the good sense to not say anything.

“Alright, she’s ready for you to board Miss Kenobi.” Ben gesticulated with the energy of a game show host, drawing her attention to the paddle boat tied to the dock.

Water made Rey nervous. It wasn’t _just_ the water - intimidating in its vast expanse as it was. Rey was a perfectionist, determined to exercise control over everything in her life. Climbing in a more than likely structurally-unsound vessel, in the middle of the night, without the ability to swim and not entirely aware of her geographic location was the stuff of nightmares.

But Ben’s outstretched hand posed an invitation too tempting to refuse. Once again, Rey decided to throw caution in the wind and let fate take her where it wanted.

“If I fall in, you’re going to be in big trouble!” she threatened idly before accepting his lure. The sight of his hand enveloping hers seamlessly was magnetic - it was impossible to look away.

Rey took a seat in the boat and patiently waited for her host. Ben gathered two fishing poles, a tackle box, and a brown paper bag - _mysterious._ Then he climbed into the boat, taking a seat across from her.

“Shall we?” He picked up the oars and began paddling, the little craft swiftly gliding towards the open water.

Rey was hypnotized by the firebugs, that seemed to multiply the farther out they went.

“I’ll bait your rod but you’re responsible for reeling it in, alright?”

“You don’t use real worms do you?” She scrunched her face, not at all happy with the prospect of touching the slimy invertebrates. “Is that what’s in the brown bag? It is, isn’t it!”

Ben chuckled, resting the rods on the side of the boat while he reached for the bag in question. “We use jigs and spoons. We don’t want them swallowing the hook and get hurt - then we won’t be able to throw them back.”

“Oh! You throw them back?” Although the fortune she’d amassed rivaled a small country’s reserve, Rey never forgot her childhood spent in the foster system. Going hungry for days and even weeks at a time had not been unusual. Young Rey would’ve been appalled at the notion of fishing for sport, rather than eating the delicious catch. But only those who experienced true hunger could understand her plight.

“Yeah,” Ben answered her. “Catch and release. If they’re healthy and we can easily unhook them, the little bastards go back. In all honesty, I really hate handling them. Plus, I don’t actually know how to descale and clean them.” His unabashed honesty was such a breath of fresh air. Integrity was a rare trait in the entertainment industry.

Ben pulled his hand out of the brown bag, revealing - to Rey’s delight - powdered donuts.

“When did you have time to get these?” she asked as she helped herself to one.

“Being a small town cop has its benefits.” He smirked.

“Fine, keep your confectionery connection a mystery.” Rey stuffed half the donut in her mouth. The powdered sugar remnants covering her thighs as she avoided getting it all over Ben’s shirt that she had borrowed. It was soft and comfortable and she had an inkling it wasn’t the material of the garment as much as its owner that made her feel that warmth throughout her body.

Ben shifted his weight to lean in toward her as handed her a fishing rod. Rey barely swallowed past the knot forming in her throat while she took in the wide stance of his spread thighs. His hulking form nearly took up all the room in their little vessel.

“Okay, so the jig is on the line. Now you want to hold it with your dominant hand. Let the reel go so you have about six inches of slack, pinch it kind of half way, point it where you want to fish, bring it back and let - _what_?” Ben’s brows were nearing his hairline.

Rey giggled, the sound bouncing off the crystalline water. “I’m sorry Solo. I have no idea what you’re saying but I’m pretty sure if I follow your instructions as I understand them you will end up with that hook through one of your body parts!”

“Yeah, fair enough! It does seem likely.” He huffed a half-chuckle as he worried the inside of his cheek, contemplating a solution.

“Turn around.”

“What?”

“Trust me, Rey.”

She did. She trusted him implicitly and it was equal parts scary and exhilarating.

Rey felt Ben shift his weight behind her, her breathing shallow as she felt him close the distance between their bodies until her back was flush to his chest.

His breath was hot on her ear. “Okay, now slowly let the reel go until you have about six inches of slack in the line.” She did as he instructed, although her mind whirled feeling the shape his inner thighs taut around her legs. Ben’s hands were on top of hers, guiding her through the motions.

He stretched their joined arms back. “Now let go.” He directed and flicked the fishing rod with a smooth motion, the zipping sound of the reel unspooling echoing in the quiet night until the hook _plopped_ into the water.

Everything else around them stayed calm. The fireflies continued their dizzying dance, entirely unperturbed by their presence. The precious lights emitted by the little bugs reflected off the water’s surface, making it hard to distinguish where the water ended and the starry sky began.

Rey exhaled, completely unaware that she’d been holding her breath. “This place is amazing, Ben. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“I haven’t been here in years, if I’m being honest.” he admitted quietly. She noticed a change in his demeanour but Rey could only focus on Ben’s hands holding onto hers.

“How come?” she inquired, curiosity building up inside her.

Behind her, Ben inhaled deeply, his chest pressing gently against her back. “This was my dad’s favourite spot - it’s called the Kessel Run. He used to bring me here almost every night during summer break, and sometimes on weekends during the school year. This was always our place - although my uncle Chewie joined us from time to time too.”

“Chewie from the auto shop?” Rey asked, connecting some of the dots.

Ben laughed, clearly on the same page as her. “Yeah, but don’t worry, he didn’t spill the beans. It just so happened that I was there when he started working on your bus. By the way, your little fiery friend - scary as fuck!”

It was Rey’s turn to laugh - it was not the first time someone had referred to Rose Tico in those terms.

“I don’t need bodyguards around when Ro is with me.” Rey smiled to herself before continuing, hoping she wasn’t crossing any lines. “How come you stopped coming here?”

“This place reminds me too much of him - my dad.”

“You must miss him terribly,” Rey said with honesty. Even though she hadn’t known her own parents, she still mourned their absence.

“I do. I miss him every day. I let him down on so many occasions and he continued to support me. The last thing I did was disappoint him.” Ben’s tone was solemn.

Rey was reluctant to ask any follow up questions, his sadness curtailing her eagerness. She waited, letting him take as much space as he needed. Figuratively, at least. His position around her body remained unchanged.

“He wanted me to take over the farm and the hardware store. Throughout his life, Han worked hard so that my mother, Bebe, and I never lacked for anything. But even still, that wasn’t enough for me. My mother’s family legacy always haunted me, challenging me to rise up and stake my claim to it.”

“What do you mean?” Rey questioned with a whisper.

“My mother’s full name is Leia Organa Skywalker Solo. My uncle is Luke Skywalker. My grandfather - “

“Vader.” The infamous name seemed to reverberate off the water’s surface, carried into the darkness of night.

Yes, Rey knew those names well. Darth Vader had proclaimed himself the Prince

of Darkness long before Black Sabbath had become famous. He crushed musical standards and trouncing established expectations in the industry. He was a musical genius, unappreciated by his peers but revered by all future generations.

Vader’s son - Luke Skywalker - was the owner of the Jedi Temple, which coincidentally, was the music label Rey currently belonged to. Growing up, he had been her role model and now, he served as one of her most avid supporters.

“Wow, what are the odds?” she asked, still taken aback by the surprising coincidence. “That does explain the comment you made about Skywalker stink being all over my work.”

“Yeah, I _am_ sorry about that. I made a snap judgement of you, based on nothing other than my past experiences with showbiz people and Skywalker’s entourage.” Ben’s voice was quiet. Pensive.

“It’s okay. To be fair, you caught me at a shit time. And showbiz people are generally the worst!” she agreed with him, having had her share of horror stories. Her mind drifted to Snoke and the unavoidable barrage of demands and berating he was going to dish out because of her little impromptu vacation. Rey felt herself slump, if only for a moment.

“My parents thought I had the same gift my grandpa and uncle had. I could play guitar proficiently before I was five. I learned to sing and read sheet music shortly after that. Writing songs however, that was my passion. It flowed so easily and it was such a healthy way for me to articulate everything I was feeling.” Ben’s voice broke her fall into the abyss of her anxiety, her attention pulled back to his story.

“That’s extraordinary. Song writing - _good_ song writing - is practically impossible. At least for me it is,” she replied with a forlorn sigh.

“That’s not true. I’ve listened to your first album more times than I can count - mostly because Bebe is obsessed with your music. It’s soulful and honest. You should get back to your own process Rey. Take your time and write what you feel,” he encouraged her.

She slumped further back into Ben’s chest, until she was entirely enveloped by his hard body and his warmth. An all encompassing sense of security blanketed over her. For whatever reason, Ben Solo’s sincere praise, especially regarding something she was so intimately insecure about, meant more to Rey than any review she’d received from the press.

She laced her fingers through Ben’s, pulling his arms around herself. Rey - nor Kira for that matter - had ever been that brazen around men. She was relatively inexperienced when it came to the opposite sex, having only gone on a handful of dates in the past and only ever had one serious boyfriend during high school. She’d never spent any time trying to get close to men. In fact, she had purposely kept her distance from the epic distraction - in Snoke’s words - that was dating.

She was magnetized to Ben. Resisting the pull to him was not something Rey had even considered. There was no point fighting it.

His chin rested on top of her head.

His chest expanded to inhale deeply, his exhale gently blowing wisps of hair along the back of her neck.

In that moment, she felt incredible.

She felt safe.

_Be brave._

Rey turned her face, her lips catching his. Ben didn’t hesitate. He kissed her in return, their lips barely touching in feather light exploration. His arms squeezed her into his chest as their joined breath quickened.

Ben’s tongue brushed against her lips, demanding entry. Rey eagerly obliged him, burning to explore more of him. At some point, she had climbed in his lap. Her body twisted reaching for more contact, even with Ben’s chorded arms holding her.

He cupped her chin in his oversized hand, calloused fingers brushed the apples of her cheeks, deepening the kiss. A sudden wave of heat washed over her, overwhelming her with a sense of urgency.

“Take me home, Ben,” she spoke against lips, crushing them with her own as soon as he said _okay_ between ragged breaths.

Snoke, show-biz, and the very serious conversation they were having entirely forgotten, pushed aside with indifference, much like the fishing rod lying on the bottom of their boat. The line was taut, pulled tight and bowing the rod under the weight of the catch.

No one noticed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so when I said it was a slow burn I may have exaggerated! haha!!   
> Thanks for reading lovelies!!!!!!


	6. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing this chapter and for all the wonderful encouraging words! I'm sorry I'm such a shit speller! I blame my phone  
> *the smut is here*

The cool night air breezed through the open windows, although the draft did nothing to clear his head.

  
  


Ben’s mind whirled, all his thoughts suddenly converging on one singular task.

  
  


_ Take me home. _

  
  


He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience. Ben watched the entire scene unfold. She was so fucking cute, the way she nervously stepped into his boat, trusting him completely.

  
  


And then she turned with purpose and drew him in to kiss her perfect pink lips. The way she tucked herself into his body — she fit so well — he never wanted to let her go. If only he could keep her.

  
  


That was a dangerous thought. 

  
  


Even more dangerous —  _ scary  _ actually — was the way his walls crumbled around her, fueled by the nostalgia of his return to  _ Kessel Run.  _ He shared with her some of his deepest seeded regrets, including his longing for Han, and she comforted him. For the first time since he lost his dad **,** Ben was able to talk about him without the prolonged depression setting in after. 

  
  


_ She’s leaving in two days. _

  
  


_ She’s rich. She’s famous. She’s out of reach. _

  
  


_ You’re not good enough. _

  
  


Ben was too busy spiraling into his all too familiar pit of self-loathing and borderline despair — growing more grim by the second — to notice they’d made it back to the farm. Rey remained quiet, holding onto his hand with both of hers, delicate fingertips tracing soft lines over his knuckles. 

  
  


His vehicle came to a stop. Ben couldn’t breathe. Rey was silent but the energy surrounding them was charged, crackling with anticipation. 

  
  


Leaving the confines of the truck hadn’t relieved any of the pent-up pressure. Ben still felt dizzy due to the flurry of emotions he could not identify.

  
  


“So, here we are,” he pointed out the obvious, shifting in his seat awkwardly.

  
  


“Yes. We are here indeed.” She sounded just as ridiculous as he felt. Or was she nervous for other reasons —

  
  


“Listen, Rey. If you’ve changed your mind, that’s totally fine. I don’t want you to feel any pressure or —“

  
  


He didn’t get to finish his thought because — for the second time in the same day — Rey interrupted him with a voracious open-mouthed kiss. 

  
  


Ben hauled her to his chest, trying to keep from crushing her. His hands slid down Rey’s spine, past her ribs, down to the slight pinch of her waist. 

  
  


When he finally reached the taut rounds of her bottom, she moaned softly into his mouth. 

  
  


He lifted her, his fingers digging into her thighs as he held her up. Rey wrapped her legs around his waist — she weighed basically nothing — and walked briskly towards the front door. 

  
  


Rey pulled away from his lingering kiss, panting heavily. “Wait. What about your mom? And Bebe?”

  
  


“Who?” 

  
  


She giggled into his neck. “I just meant - can they hear us?” 

  
  


He’d never had to deal with the intricate parameters of this particular social situation. Since he’d moved back home, Ben had had virtually no dating life. 

  
  


“I doubt it. It’s like three in the morning.” 

  
  


She leaned back even further, her big hazel eyes burrowing into his.

Her tongue darted out, sweeping across her pink lips, now and deep shade of red, swollen from his ministrations.

  
  


“Should we go inside then? I feel a little weird with your cat watching.” She beamed at him. The old tabby lounged on the old porch swing, lounging as he watched them. 

  
  


Rey’s whimper was all the encouragement he needed. Ben carried her through the door, taking the squeaky old steps two at a time without jostling her around too much. 

  
  


Once he reached his room —  _ finally  _ — Ben locked the door behind him and sat down on his bed. 

  
  


The sheets were rumpled and warm, evidence they had intruded on the dog’s siesta. For once, the obvious lack of boundaries and respect for his personal space didn’t completely incense Ben. 

  
  


Rey straddled him, her thighs spread and squeezing his torso in a vise. She kissed torturously slow down the column of his throat, carding her fingers through his hair. 

  
  


She was overdressed. 

  
  


His fingers made quick work of her shirt. After all, he was intimately familiar with the garment. Ben’s hands reached behind to unclasp her bra without much fumbling. There was  _ some  _ fumbling — destruction, technically — but she didn’t seem to notice. He would just have to go out first thing in the morning and buy her a new one.

  
  


He reclined into one of the pillows he’d left strummed about earlier, eager to take her all in. She was a vision bathed in moonlight, the soft light she was shrouded in gave her an ethereal glow.

  
  
  


“Perfect.” He gasped. 

  
  
  


Rey’s lips parted. He needed more, he  _ had  _ to taste every bit of her.

  
  


He held her in place, languidly drinking in every inch of her impossibly soft tanned skin. Rey’s pert little breasts fit in his hands perfectly. His thumbs grazed over her pebbled nipples while he kissed her with an urgency she matched. 

  
  


Rey gasped and bucked her hips, her back arching to give him the perfect opportunity suck one of her flawless tits in his mouth. 

  
  


She moaned again, her hips grinding into him, making him painfully hard. 

  
  


“Off. Pants. Shirt. All of it,” Rey demanded as she climbed off his lap, violently tugging at her shorts. 

  
  


Ben obliged, removing all of his clothes, minus his underwear — somehow that felt too forward since Rey was still wearing hers. He drank her in as she stood there, lean and perfect. Suddenly, he was swept off by a wave of all consuming possessiveness. 

  
  


He crushed his lips to hers. They practically clawed at each other, their limbs entangling while his tongue stroked hers with greed.

  
  


Ben reached a hand between her legs, tugging her panties to the side, the heat magnetizing him. “Jesus, you’re soaked.” He marveled out loud having found her bare cunt slicked already. He pressed his index finger in her heat. 

  
  


Rey gasped and rolled her hips into his hand as he added a second finger. His thumb circled her clit — swollen and oversensitized — slowly, coaxing the most obscene guttural sound from her parted lips.

  
  


“Cum for me sweetheart,” he ordered —  _ begged, more like —  _ his rhythm quickening to provide what her body demanded. Rey keened as she rode his hand to orgasm. 

  
  


She looked stunning, beads of sweat covering her skin, her chest heaving with rapid breaths.

  
  


Ben brought Rey in for a gentle kiss, determined to ignore the painful bulge in his underwear in case she wanted to stop. He wanted to afford her an easy out, in case she came to her senses and realized she had no business slummin’ it with a small town cop.

  
  


She deepened the kiss, pushing him back on the bed. She straddled him, pressing herself into him. 

  
  


“Rey, if you want to stop, we can.” 

  
  


“Get a condom, Ben.” She didn’t skip a beat, to his infinite relief. He really had no plan if she decided she’d had enough of him.

  
  


Ben fumbled in his nightstand, thankful to have found the item buried deep under a mountain of garbage. He put it on, thankful he didn’t look as out of practice as he was.

  
  


She lowered herself onto him, her slicked folds enveloping his cock tightly. Ben had to hold his breath and close his eyes to regain his focus, feeling much too good to last any longer than mere seconds. His fingernails dug into his own thighs, the pain proving a welcome and effective distraction.

  
  


He watched. Hypnotized as Rey took everything she needed, fucking herself with his cock until all her muscles tightened around him. 

  
  


Her entire body shook as she found her release, her cunt tight and pulsing around him until he couldn’t hold off any longer. Ben came with a muffled grunt, his face buried into her soft neck. 

  
  


He pulled out of her, both wincing from their separation. Ben lifted her up and tucked her inside his sheets. 

  
  


“Where are you going?” she asked when he stood to leave. 

  
  


“Umm — I thought maybe you wanted to get some sleep. You know — alone?” 

  
  


She sat up, the sheet wrapped around her, covering just enough of her lithe body to be a tease. “Come back here, Solo.” She giggled and reached her arms out to him. 

  
  


“Fuck, you’re so cute.” 

  
  


Ben laid down next to her, basking in the unfettered happiest he felt holding her in his arms. 

  
  


He fucked her twice more. He loved watching her writhe under him as her legs shook, her hair fanned out on his pillowcase, her braid completely destroyed. He relished the sight of Rey biting down into his pillow as he came apart inside her, his hips pressed into her ass.

  
  


But inevitably, their night was over. Morning came too soon, even though Ben had not slept for a moment. Rey dozed off, thoroughly debauched and worn out as the early summer sun came up. Her eyelids fluttered while she snored softly. 

  
  


He was exhausted. Elated. Confused and utterly beside himself. 

  
  


Somehow this girl had bulldozed through the walls he had built around himself, obliterating all his boundaries and left him completely vulnerable. He was falling for her. He was going to get hurt. But as he watched her sleep, he decided he didn’t care.

  
  


***

“You kids got in late last night.” Leia said as a casual observation. Her tone, however, was not at all casual. 

  
  


She knew.  _ Ugh. _

  
  


“Yup.” Ben answered with a mouthful of cereal. Rey just blushed into her oversized coffee mug. 

  
  


“Worked up a bit of an appetite have you?” Leia asked without subtlety and Rey coughed and sputtered. 

  
  


His mother was clearly referring to the two helpings of buttermilk pancakes, bacon, and syrup Rey had inhaled before moving onto a cinnamon bun roughly the size of her head.

  
  


“Your braid is still intact I see.” 

  
  


“Wow, you’re very astute today mom.” Ben ground out between his clenched teeth. 

  
  


His mother grinned. A big, borderline sinister smile, like a cat with a mouthful of canary, that told him she knew everything. Ben had combed and braided it for Rey when they reluctantly got out of his bed. 

  
  


He silently begged her to stop, and for once Leia obliged, rolling her eyes. 

  
  


He groaned internally, knowing he would have to field all her questions later. Somehow he’d have to contain her misplaced hopeful enthusiasm while keeping himself together once Rey left them.

  
  


For her part, Rey continued to concentrate on her coffee while her dainty hand slid into his, blissfully unaware of his mother’s ridiculous suggestive eyebrows. 

  
  


He leaned into Rey’s ear while his mother was turned away, refilling her own coffee cup. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you feeding bacon to that ungrateful mut,” Ben whispered, glaring at Artoo tucked under the kitchen island in front of Rey. 

  
  


“Bacon’s good for dogs. Makes their fur shiny.” She reached down to pet the dog, whose tongue lolled to the side of his mouth, obviously in expectation of additional treats. 

  
  


Ben chuckled. “Two things. First of all — this dog is a turncoat. He will betray you at the drop of a hat. Obviously. Second of all — and most pertinent — that was  _ my  _ bacon.” 

  
  


Rey giggled and wiped a few stray cinnamon bun crumbs off her face, petting Artoo behind his floppy ears.

  
  


A loud knock on the front door startled them. 

  
  


“Now who on earth could it be at this hour?” Leia asked with mock annoyance as she sauntered to the entrance, her slippers shuffling across the wooden floor. She actually loved visitors. 

  
  


“Oh! Hello, Officer Finn! And who’s your lovely companion?” 

  
  


A familiar high-pitched voice chimed through the house and Rey’s hand stilled inside his.

  
  


Ben’s heart sank, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks — they were out of time.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sigh. The pain train is approaching the station. ❤️ It will all be good in the end though is swear!


	7. No Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing this chapter and for all the wonderful encouraging words! I'm sorry this took me a hundred years to update, but the next couple of chapters entail the pain train veering into the station and I didn't want to leave you on a hurtful cliff hanger! chapter 8 is fully written and chapter 9 is about 90% there, I am aiming to have this story completed before TROS (which is in exactly 24 days!)

A gentle summer breeze wafted through the open front door, allowing the fresh scent of conifers to flood the home and mix with the scent of fresh coffee and breakfast. Rey didn’t pay any attention to the flurry of aromas that would normally make her happy. Instead, she tried to control the pangs of sadness that echoed through her body from enveloping her entirely. Even though she was thrilled to see her best friend standing in Leia’s doorway, she was not ready to let go of Ben.

Not yet.

He sat silent next to her, without a visible emotion written on his face. The hand that held hers stilled, his fingers rigid and tense.

“Rose! What are you doing here?” Rey finally acknowledged the petite brunette, currently regarding her with a strange look – part surreptitious, mostly smug.

_She’s up to something._

“Came to get you back on the road, lady!”

A shiver of panic reverberated through her. Rey was _absolutely_ not ready for that yet.

A smirk creeped up Rose’s face. “Well, not right away. I heard there’s some kind of festival happening in a few days, and I for one could use a little vacation. Finn, here, has generously offered me a room at his place for a few days since the Inn is sold out. I brought you some clothes!” She lifted the duffle Rey had forgotten on the tour bus.

Her breath returned in full force -- she could’ve kissed Rose. She didn’t need look at Ben to know he felt the same; she could tell from the way he squeezed her hand gently, under the table and interlaced their fingers together.

They had more time and Rey was determined to make the most of it.

“Well, come in, beautiful. Don’t just stand there!” Leia beckoned the new arrivals inside.

\--

After Rose and Finn enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, courtesy of Leia’s hospitality, Rose suggested they go for a walk about the town. Finn and Ben had some sort of _police business_ to attend to – their jobs, in all likeliness -- but promised to meet them afterward.

The town center was peaceful. The trees they had used to decorate it added a crisp, albeit unusual aroma, to the existing bouquet of lazy summer day fragrances. Ruddy hydrangeas and lavender mingled with the fresh cut grass and clean cotton sheets. Rey inhaled deep, feeling content.

“I sussed you out,” Rose whispered when the two policemen were far enough to be out of earshot, causing Rey to flinch.

They weren’t actually alone of course, having taken their stroll under the watchful eyes of Alderaan’s townsfolk, Rey observed more than a few heads move furtively from side to side as they gossiped about the two friends.

“Sussed? You _sussed_ me out?” Rey mocked.

“Yes. Seems the vagabond life suits you! I recognize _sex-hair_ when I see it. Don’t forget Rey-Rey: I traffic in gossip and speculation.” Rose threw her head back with a throaty chuckle.

“Okay! Stop _sussing_ now, please! And by the way -- you left me here, remember?” Rey didn’t bother with denials; her friend knew her inside and out. Rose continued to giggle, peering inside window fronts as they walked.

“You listening? Explain yourself,” Rey demanded.

“All I can hear is the teacher from Charlie Brown. I will tell you one thing though — I didn’t leave you on purpose, but the delay is another story.” She smirked, like the cat who got the cream, continuing on her lazy aimless stroll.

“What the hell! You understand that I have a job, right? A job that happens to be tethered to your livelihood,” Rey admonished, uncertain if she was upset with Rose’s unilateral decision.

Not really. Not at all, in fact.

“Oh stop, would ya? We’ll be back on track in a couple of days. You needed a break and I saw an opportunity. Besides — it didn’t seem like you were that thrilled to see me standing there. And the look you gave him as he walked away -- nothing short of completely obscene. Totally undermines your air of _nonchalance.”_

Rey felt the heat of embarrassment reach her cheeks. “I will tell you everything if you please stop the inquisition.”

“Fine, but I want all the scandalous juicy details!” Rose lit up then turned to enter one of the shops lining Main Street.

“You’re a mean little thing.” Rey laughed in earnest. She’d always found comfort in Rose’s presence, a freedom to be exactly who she was. Rey draped her arm around her friend’s narrow shoulders, and they entered the little book shop together.

Their steps creaked on the hardwood. The was store empty of other customers – it was just them and thousands of books in the antique ornamented dwelling. She always had an instinct about what Rey needed.

“I’m happy you’re here, Rosey.”

—

“Hey! Isn’t that Leia?” Rey’s head turned in the direction Rose pointed out.

Time had flown by as the two friends explored the book store and treated themselves to boutique coffee and more baked treats that Rey could indulge in an entire year.

“She looks upset, doesn’t she?” Rose was right. In the short time she’d spent at the Solo residence, Rey had never known Leia to be anything but upbeat and cheerful. As she watched the small woman climb down a short flight of stairs, Rey noticed the downturned corners of her mouth settle into a deep frown. She seemed worried.

“Oh! Hello girls. How are you enjoying yourselves?” Leia crossed the street, her expression lighter after spotting them.

“The town is lovely,” Rey lauded with a mouthful of chocolate croissant then paused, fleetingly wondering if she was prying. “Leia, is everything okay?”

“Nothing to worry about, dear— “

“Still here I see? Panhandling isn’t going to save you, Organa, although it would be incredibly amusing!” an older man interrupted, rudely.

He grinned in sinister manner. There was something about his demeanor that Rey found unsettling; he seemed like the kind of person who kicked a puppy and laughed as it cried. He was shrouded by an inherent meanness, that only a few people possessed, but Rey had long learned how to identify.

“Why don’t you choke on it, Sheev!” Leia spat.

“It’s _Mayor_ Palpatine to you. Don’t forget about the timeline, doll. Tick Tock!” he shrilled then turned on his heel, heading towards the town square, but not before he glared at Rey and Rose in turn.

“Who elected the old raisin as mayor?” Rose asked nonchalantly.

Leia laughed at the insult though the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “We did, I suppose. It’s not exactly an election if there isn’t anyone running against him though, is it? He also manages the the _Imperial Trust_ Bank and owns the _Mustafar Grocery_ stores.”

She paused, appearing to be struggling with an internal decision, but continued. “The loan for the farm is in arrears, and Palpatine never misses an opportunity to remind me.” Rey was stunned by the revelation, but it did explain some of Ben’s unexpressed pain. He felt responsible.

“That seems over-the-top hateful. What does he have against you? And isn’t it illegal or something?”

Leia guffawed a hearty laugh, as if Rey had just uttered the most ridiculous thing. “It is — or would be, in a _normal_ town — but Palpatine’s family has owned everything in this town for ages. He wants my farm, and barring some kind of miracle, he will get it come Christmas.”

The three women continued to walk, Rose and Rey not daring to speak. Leia needed to vent and that was the least they could do for her.

“You know what the worst part of this is? It’s not losing the house or the land, I’ve put off retiring for long enough and my kids have no interest in continuing the business. But Ben – oh, my sweet boy – he is never going to let go of the guilt that plagues him.” Leia took Rey’s arm, snaking her weathered hand through the crook of her elbow.

“He was a singer, for a while, so talented and full of potential. The world was his for the taking. But he fell in the wrong hands – greedy hands – and just like Icarus, he flew too high, too fast and got burned. He believes he’s let us down and I think deep down he may blame us for pushing him too hard. All Han and I wanted for him was to be happy.”

Rey’s heart broke for him. She understood well enough how cruel the world of show business was, how many unscrupulous people were standing by, ready to take advantage of talent.

They walked arm in arm the entire way back to the farm, matching their pace to Leia’s slow gait. She regaled them with stories of Ben and Bebe as kids, the little adventures Han took them on, their lovely life as a family. It sounded wonderful, very much the opposite of Rey’s childhood.

\--

“Hey kid, staying out of trouble?” Ben startled her. At some point in the afternoon she had laid down on his bed and was lulled to sleep by the warm afternoon breeze flowing through the open window. Rose stayed downstairs with Leia, too enthralled by her stories to interrupt.

He sat on the edge of his own bed and stroked her braided hair gently with just the tips of his fingers.

“We ran into your mom at the bank.” She chewed her fingernails nervously, watching Ben’s expression cloud over. “Why didn’t you tell me your farm was in trouble?” She realized too late that she had overstepped, her incessant prodding crossing an invisible line in the sand.

“Because it’s none of your business,” he answered evenly. Cold.

“No. You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry.” She sat up and moved to leave the room, trying to keep a lid on her overwhelming emotions when his hand wrapped around her wrist, ensnaring her.

“Rey, wait.” She stopped without facing him.

“Did my mother tell you what happened?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

He sighed and sat down, holding on to her arm tight. “I’ve always loved to play guitar but my dad, he was _practical._ He didn’t believe in music as a career, even with my grandfather’s global success. Han wanted me to take over his business — the hardware store and the farm.”

“My uncle had a brief career as a guitar player but he was more interested in developing talent, grooming and managing. He saw my talent — actually, he saw _dollar signs_ — but regardless of his motivations, he helped me get a record deal. It seemed he was always pushing though. He’s the one who insisted that I step away from writing my own songs and towards country. Since the young demographic seemed to get renewed interest in the genre -- they were the key to success. I listened. In spite of my reservations, I listened. I recorded sappy country songs. I went on tour. I even signed with Jedi Temple Records.”

“Your uncle is Luke Skywalker,” Rey parroted his words from their starlight boat ride, finally connecting the dots. “Wait! You were in the _Knights of Ren?”_

He nodded, confirming. “Yup. It was good, while it lasted.” She remembered seeing the framed posters on Skywalker’s wall, the platinum discs with the band’s name written in delicate gold calligraphy under them. At the time she could only hope to reach their level of fame and fortune.

Rey was quickly coming to the conclusion that she’d been working towards the wrong goal all along.

“What happened?” she asked, thumbing his knuckles where they were still holding onto her wrist.

Ben brushed the hair out of his face, his eyes serious. “Luke had plans; he wanted us to churn out a record every single year – a successful record, that is. His expectations weighed on all of us, but me especially since I wrote the songs. I started drinking to cope with the stress. I’m ashamed to admit that I turned to drugs to be able to stay awake for twenty hours a day. I was a mess.” He sighed and Rey’s heart twinged but she didn’t say a word, allowing him to continue.

“I needed to get out. Finally, I had enough of the pressure and their expectations. I decided that I was done with all of it – done with the Knights of Ren, done with the Jedi Temple, and with Skywalker.”

“Is that when you came back home?” Rey asked, gently guiding him to lean towards her. She stood between his spread-out legs, carding her fingers through his wild curls, trying to soothe him.

“It wasn’t that simple – showbiz never is. My contracts were written by the First Order attorneys, before they took over the _Jedi Temple_ label. They hadn’t left any loopholes. Essentially, they owned my music and since I had terminated our agreement early, I had to pay. Han – my dad -- sold the store, Leia mortgaged the farm to buy me out of my contact. I didn’t realize it until then that the First Order had always owned me, and it was in part thanks to my unbridled trust in my _dear_ uncle.” Ben paused to catch his breath. His chest rose and fell heavy, the weight of sharing so much of himself undoubtedly pressing on him.

Rey had always looked to Luke as a mentor, a friend even and on more than one occasion he’d been like a parent to her. It wasn’t easy listening to Ben tear him down. It wasn’t easy to feel her own steadfast perspective waver.

“I had to take a job with the police department and that earned Han’s disapproval.” He smirked, like he’d just hear the punchline to a private joke. “He never trusted law enforcement, let alone in this town. He had a _past,_ as my mother would say.”

Ben lifted his head to meet her gaze. Quiet tears brimmed in those sad eyes and Rey felt her heart shatter. “My dad died disappointed in me. He and Leia were buried in debt, and it was all my fault. Soon, the bank is going to own this house and this farm, my mother will be left with nothing and I will dishonor my father’s memory again.”

Fat tears flowed down Rey’s cheeks and mingled with Ben’s hair as she stood, cradling him to her chest, doing her best to bring him a semblance of comfort.

She didn’t keep track of how long they’d spent like this, but the dim light of twilight filtered through the bedroom window, dark clouds gathering for what announced to be a sudden summer storm. Ben’s hands had been wrapped around her the entire time, clutching at her the way a drowning man grabs onto a life preserve. Or was she the one drowning? It was hard to tell.

An idea sparked in her mind. At first an ember, but quickly growing as she stoked it. “We can save the farm.”

“I don’t want your money, Rey.” He bristled.

“I wasn’t offering my money – although I have like…none, but I won’t get into all of that. I’m offering some help.”

His brows hiked towards his hairline, but he didn’t ask. “What if we take the festival and make it a fundraiser?”

“I don’t think my mother will be okay begging for money from tourists.”

“It’s not like that. I’m just throwing around ideas here, but what if we made it a fundraising concert? We wouldn’t tread on any of the existing traditions and guarantee that all proceeds to go to saving the Christmas Tree farm.”

“And who would perform? You know if we announce Kira Takodana is holding a concert in Alderaan, the entire town will be overtaken.”

“No one here knows Rey Kenobi, and Rey Kenobi has been dying to write some new material.” She grinned.

Ben returned her smile, a look of cautious optimism replacing the gloom on his face. “I can help you write if you’d like, arrange the songs for you. But we only have a few days left. We’ll need a lot of help to pull this off.”

“Trust me, if _logistics-in-a-panic_ are required, I have just the girl for the job. I have one condition, however,” she stipulated, fretfully chewing on her ruined manicure. He waited without asking. “You need to sing these with me.”

“I don’t know if I can do that, Rey.”

“Ben, this town adores you. I’m absolutely certain they would love to hear you sing again.” Concern was written all over his expression, so she continued. “I know I would.”

He gnawed the inside of his lip, his eyes darting from side to side, while he mulled over his decision. “I can’t promise you that I’ll go through with it, but I will try.”

Rey lowered her face to his, softly placing a kiss on his lips. She felt his tongue brush against hers, deepening the kiss. His hands tightened around her waist, engulfing her in an urgent embrace as he quickly divested her of her clothes.

The plan would have to wait a bit.

\---

Rey woke to the sounds of Ben’s soft snores.

The rain had come and gone, leaving the night skies clear and full of stars. Moonbeams filtered through the trees into the window, immersing the space in a quiet glow, shining like a spotlight on Ben’s resting from. She admired the way his lips parted, and his frown lines dissipated in his sleep, giving him an air of ease.

Feeling inspired, Rey spotted a pad of paper and a pencil on Ben’s desk and padded across the floor to get it, careful to not disturb his sleep, and began writing.

_Why should we fear what life brings_

_What were we hoping to get out of this?_

_I hoped this old bus would break down_

_So I could take a walk around_

_See what there is to see_

_Live at least one day quietly_

_But time is just a melody._

_I met you and my life turned on its head,_

_The fireflies replaced everything I thought I wanted._

_You don’t have to do a thing_

_But listen to me sing._

_No fear._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song they're writing is partly Sara Bareilles, partly Jack Johnson, part me :)


	8. Eavesdropping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben figure out a plan and try to deal with unforeseen complications!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing this chapter :)

The thin, cotton curtains hanging over his bedroom window fluttered in the cool, early morning breeze. The fresh air woke him. His hand brushed over Rey’s spot in his bed, a tingle of alarm gripping him when he found it empty. Rey’s spot — that was a dangerous thought. Ben’s eyes were bleary with sleep, sticky from the tears he’d shed earlier. He’d shared things with Rey he’d never told anyone else. He’d shared things he’d never spoken out loud. Yet she understood him, showing him compassion, not judgment.

He sat up, but his search was brief. She was hunched over his desk, wearing only the oversized plaid shirt he’d lent her, her bare legs contorted into a pretzel shape, tucked under her. The sun was beginning to rise, thin shafts of pink light filtered through the window, illuminating Rey’s form. Her brows were furrowed, and her dainty little nose crinkled in concentration while she chewed on her pencil. If her soft humming was any indication, she was working on a song. She looked ethereal.

“Let me hear it.” He spoke without preamble, visibly startling Rey, who jumped with surprise and squeaked, then giggled.

“How long have you been watching me, Officer Solo?”

He chuckled, gathering the sheet around his naked body before he shifted to the edge of the bed, mere inches from Rey’s bare legs. “Not long enough.”

She grinned. Her eyes always sparkled when she looked at him. “That’s so cheesy!”

Ben reached beside the desk and picked up his guitar, his fingers remembering the once-familiar chord progression.

“I know this song,” she said, her smile never faltering. “That’s the jingle you were playing the night we met.”

Ben nodded in confirmation, continuing to play. The notes flowed as Rey sang softly, the tune coming to life. Her words blended and complimented his melody seamlessly.

They were a dream team.

  
—

A few hours later, over yet another abundant breakfast, they were being showered by Leila’s interminable praise. His mother loved the idea of the fundraiser. Leia hadn’t taken longer than ten seconds to mull it over before getting on the phone to make the arrangements. Rose immediately volunteered to take over the logistics and marketing for the event, enrolling Bebe and an overly enthusiastic Finn to aid her.

“When did you get here?” Ben asked the trooper, who was busy studying his own nail beds.

“He gave me a ride, of course.” Rose smiled brilliantly, and if Ben didn’t know better, he could’ve sworn he saw the beginnings of a blush creep over Finn’s cheeks. Evidently, Rey’s thoughts aligned with his, as her brows arched in surprise, quickly followed by a Cheshire Cat grin.

I guess Finn’s crush on Rey is officially over.

Once they got into town, they presented the proposal to the members of the festival committee. Of course, Mitaka was thrilled. “This is going to exceed our attendance targets; it might even set a record. People love the Christmas Tree farm! And all of Alderaan will gather to hear you sing again, Benjamin.” The small man gushed.

“Ben,” he corrected. “And I’m not singing, I’m playing the guitar, accompanying Rey.”

Mitaka seemed taken aback for a moment, the expression on his face indicating he’d realized his gaffe and was quickly devising an escape strategy. “Very well. “

“Listen, Dolphed, I don’t necessarily want to advertise that the farm is in dire straits, could we maybe leave it a bit vague? Maybe we can say we’re raising money for an expansion or renovations?” Ben added with caution.

“Of course, Officer Solo. Everything seems to be in order here, so I suppose I should just —”

“She’s at the station, Dolphed, why don’t you just ask her out. Phas likes you. Make your move,” Finn chimed in. A brief look of chagrin crossed the festival director’s face before he turned beet red and left without another word.

“Isn’t the station that way?” Rey asked, pointing in the direction opposite to where Mitaka was headed.

“Yeah, some people need a lot of encouragement. He’s been sweet on the Captain for years but keeps choking when it’s time to make a move,” Finn continued, his eyes never leaving Rose’s slight form as she was busy ambling about the site of the gazebo.

Ben knew a love-sick man when he saw one. He wondered if that was what people saw when they looked at him these days. Now was neither the time nor the place for that. They had a fundraiser to put on. He hastily shook the errant thought away.

“Some people aren’t as brave as others.” Rey spoke softly, barely audible, brushing Ben’s knuckles with her fingertips then quickly busying herself with whatever task Miss Tico had assigned her.

—

Ben was eavesdropping.

It was shameless and uncouth, but he was doing it. Back home, Rey and Bebe were seated in the den, working on assembling summer wreaths. Well…Bebe worked -- Rey had a lot of qualities, but crafting was not one of them.

“I don’t think a career as a wreath-maker is in my future, Bebe.” She huffed, as if on cue, then dropped the pile of Douglas fir branches on the table with a big dramatic sigh.

Bebe laughed, but not in an unkind manner. “I’m sure you have other talents we don’t know about yet,” his sister innocently quipped.

Little did she know...

“I have ideas about the farm, you know. I don’t know if my mom would like any of them,” Bebe revealed and Ben’s ears perked up. He hated the fact that Bebe was aware of their financial troubles. It would be a matter of time before she realized he was to blame for all of it. Then she would look at him the same way everyone else did – a big failure.

“What kind of ideas?”

“Well, this could be risky, and it would take some up-front investment.”

“Most things worth doing come with risk, but that is the only way you will get rewarded,” Rey encouraged in a kind tone.

“I was thinking, since you’ve been our guest, we could charge for it.”

Rey laughed. “That’s fair. As soon as I get my purse back, I’ll be sure to write you a cheque.”

Bebe blushed, embarrassed. “No! I didn’t mean you, Rey. I think we could open a bed and breakfast, offer tours of the town and Kessel Run in the summer and in the winter something cool, like sleigh rides? The town is always filled with tourists. Maz’s place is almost always booked up.”

“That’s a great idea!” Rey answered with unfettered enthusiasm. From the shadows, Ben agreed wholeheartedly. His little sister made excellent points, and in some ways, he wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it sooner.

“I have to run it by Ben first, get his support before I mention it to my mom. Maybe you could talk to him about it?” Bebe asked, surreptitiously.

“I don’t know if I should. I feel that may be overstepping a bit.”

Bebe placed the basket of fresh flowers she was holding on the table and moved next to Rey. “You can say anything you want, that’s one of the perks of being his girlfriend.”

Ben’s heart lurched, his breath catching in his throat — he was quickly approaching panic attack territory. His brain told him to step away before he overheard anything else, but his heart needed to hear her words. He couldn’t see Rey to gauge her reaction based on her facial expression alone.

“You are his girlfriend, right? I mean, you sleep in his room and he gave you his favourite shirt.” His sister continued her needling — the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Bebe was very much his mother’s daughter.

“Umm, it’s kind of complicated. I mean — “

“You’re still planning on leaving, aren’t you?” The disappointment in his sister’s voice mirrored his own. Ben closed his eyes and inhaled deep, steadying himself. He knew this was unavoidable, Rey — Kira Takodana — was a superstar, and he was just another idiot who had fallen for an unreachable celebrity.

“What are you two up to?” He stepped inside, trying very hard to put on an air of aloofness.

“Rey is helping me with the wreaths — well, she’s trying to.” Bebe corrected herself. The pile of rose and sunflower buds tumbled to the ground as soon as she held up the work-in-progress wreath.

“That’s pretty shoddy work, Kenobi,” he quipped, ignoring the pretty, pink blush painted on her cheeks. “Do you want to take a break and work on the songs? I think this little menace has it all covered.” He ruffled Bebe’s curls, aware of how much she hated the gesture.

Rey laughed, her head lolling backwards “You’re right about that. I’m just getting in the way here, better stick to what I know.”

“Where did you learn how to sing?” Bebe asked innocently, but still caused Rey to cough and sputter.

“Don’t you have like, thirty of these things to make by tomorrow? Get to it kid!” Ben chimed in, getting Rey out of the spotlight.

“Ugh — yes, I’m going to be up all night! But it’ll be worth it to get to hear you play guitar again, big brother!” She kissed him on the cheek and sat back down, focusing on her work.

—

“Do you want to get outta here for a bit?” Ben asked after a few hours spent writing. “A change of scenery might be good for inspiration.”

Rey smiled at him; her eyes bright. “Getting some distance from this bed of yours would probably help, too.” She deadpanned. Okay, maybe they didn’t spend the entire time writing.

Ben packed up his guitar, a light dinner consisting of sandwiches, and an array of baked goods he’d pilfered from the kitchen. Then, he drove back to Kessel Run.

The water was calm, the burnt-orange and russet light of the fading sun reflecting off its tranquil surface.

“This is quickly becoming one of my favourite places,” Rey praised softly, an odd sense of pride blooming in his chest. “Thank you for bringing me here, for trusting me with your story, and showing me what a family can be.”

Ben was overwhelmed. Rey’s gratitude was entirely unexpected and disorienting — he was the perennial disappointment, his failures always predictable and expected. It was strange to have someone display this amount of genuine faith in him.

“I never had much in terms of family, outside of the Tico’s. It’s been wonderful being here.” Rey continued as she took a seat on the dock, dangling her bare feet over the edge. Her toes were just short of the water and for whatever reason, Ben found her struggle to reach its surface absolutely adorable.

“My mom and Bebe really like having you here, Rey.”

“And you?” She turned to face him, patiently waiting for his reply.

Ben felt his emotions churn and bubble over. He knew it was too soon — and insane — but he was unable to stop the words from leaving his lips. “I’m in love with you, Rey.”

She seemed frozen in time; her eyes wide, her lips parted, her words silenced in a state of utter shock. Ben felt his courage shrink, curling back like a salted slug.

“Ben, I — “

“There’s my little charitable superstar,” the gruff voice of a chronic smoker broke the tension. Like a pebble tossed into the water, breaking the lake’s glass surface into concentric ripples, his presence was a disruption hard to ignore.

“Mister Snoke, what are you doing here?” Rey’s eyes were still wide, but the wonder Ben had seen in them just seconds before was replaced with something else — fear.

The tall, weathered man sauntered slowly but purposely towards them; the weight of his gaze fixed on Ben. “Miss Tico has made this event something of a trend on social media. Naturally, I was curious. Seeing how she’s using my time and resources to get it done.” The sentence was terse, shrieked through his clenched, yellow smoker’s teeth.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your charming companion?” he added, enunciating the word charming in the manner some realtors describe a small, ugly old house.

“This is Ben. Ben Solo. He’s been something of a life saver actually.” Rey stood as she praised him once more.

“More of a distraction, I should say.” Snoke squinted his eyes, recognition glinting in his eyes. “Solo? As in Kylo Ren?”

Ben nodded, filled with apprehension.

Snoke clapped his knobby weathered hands together and threw his head back, chuckling in a malevolent manner. “Well, isn’t this rich! Young Solo! I would like to have a chat with you before we leave this town, but if you don’t mind, right now I would like a moment alone with Miss Takodana.”

Snoke ushered Rey back to his idling vehicle, leaving Ben dumbstruck. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, once again blurring his vision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eeeeek i'm sorry I ended it here. All I can say is the night is always darkest before the dawn....HEA guaranteed!


	9. Be Brave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the Festival!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, the day has come -- all aboard the pain train!  
> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing this chapter and the rest of the chapters :)
> 
> I will say, if you're looking for the fluff, it's not in this chapter and I totally understand if you want to wait until the next one. The good news is the next chapter is already written and beta's and I will post it this Wednesday or Thursday :)
> 
> *Snoke is a controlling asshole and we get to see his true colors shining through*

Generally speaking, John Snoke was not known to be a verbose man. However, getting the silent treatment from him meant you were on his shit list. Rey had witnessed his silent wrath before, but it was always directed towards production assistants or talent managers, never at her. From the time he’d ushered her towards his waiting vehicle, he hadn’t even so much as look in her direction. His jaw was clenched, his teeth grinding audibly as they drove in silence towards Alderaan.

Nighttime set in, shrouding the countryside in velvety darkness. Rey watched the fireflies dance in the grass on the side of the road, her mind flitting to Ben and their moments together before Snoke showed up – he said he loved her. No one, besides Rose and Paige had ever uttered those words to her. He had been so honest and romantic and wonderfully overwhelming.

In turn, she just sat there, mouth agape with a dumbstruck expression on her face. Ben looked hurt and she could not bear to know that she was the source of his pain. Snoke was a jerk to him. Not that she expected anything else from her manager.

“I don’t need to tell you, Miss Kenobi, how very disappointed I am in this turn of events,” he spoke, his vitriol-laced voice redirecting Rey’s focus back to her miserable – and sudden – presence on the shit list.

“First, I need to cancel three shows on short notice – you understand that means full refunds, correct?” he asked rhetorically. It was a clause in Rey’s contract that she was entirely responsible for financial retribution if any of her appearances were cancelled because of her.

“Yes. I just needed a little break and the opportunity presented itself. The tour bus left me here. What was I to do?”

“That’s a weak excuse and you know it. Whatever, the schedule deviation wouldn’t had been such a problem if I didn’t find out that you were putting on an unlicensed show in some butt-fuck hick-town in the middle of god-damn nowhere. To make matters worse, when I get here, to do as much damage control as possible, I find you canoodling with some fucking has-been on the side of a swamp.” He was shouting. All of the sudden, the inside of the car became _very_ small for Rey’s comfort.

“You have the wrong idea, John. It’s not like that. I’m helping them raise funds for the Christmas tree farm as a favour for letting me stay there. Ben is a wonderful person and he and his family have been nothing but lovely towards me.” A malicious glint flickered in his eyes just then and Rey realized she’d divulged too much.

He pulled up in front of the _Endor Inn._ “This is worse than I had anticipated. You fucked him, didn’t you?’ his voice was cold, but Rey felt the flames of rage licking at her insides.

“That is _none_ of your business, John!” she snapped.

“Oh, but it is pet. You see, this industry is ruthless. It chews people up and spits them right back out. Ben Solo, is one of those throwaways.”

Rey recoiled at the way he was talking about Ben.

“Losers like Solo always have an agenda – getting back into the spotlight, one way or another. He is going to use everything you’ve told him to get there. What if he recorded you, hmm? Did you think about that?”

“No, I didn’t because that didn’t happen! He’s not like that. He didn’t even want to sign the song we wrote together for the festival, he just wanted to play guitar –”

Snoke’s expression turned sour. “You wrote a song?”

“Yeah, we were going to perform it at the festival tomorrow night. And I think – I think it would be in very poor taste and bad for our image if I pulled out at the last minute. People will eventually find out who I am and think I’m a snob who can’t be bothered with small venues.” She was trying to appeal to his business sense. But was she really needed was more time – time to talk to Ben, time to tell him how she felt in turn.

“You’re right. We can’t risk damaging your image. We’ll go ahead with the performance as planned, but you can’t go back to that house. I need you here, where I can keep my eye on you.” Snoke asserted, his tone indicating he was done with their conversation.

Rey was surprised by how easily he’d given in – she was prepared for a full-blown argument. _Surprised_ wasn’t the right word; she was suspicious. Snoke always had an angle and trusting him was not an option. She decided to stay at the Inn, per his demands, to find out what he was up to.

\---

After a night spent tossing and turning and getting very little rest, Rey spent a full day with Snoke. They had mountains of paperwork to complete for the make-up shows and, as promised, the cantankerous man refused to leave her out of his sight.

It was _finally_ time for them to head to the town square. Rey’s heart quivered, the butterflies in her stomach going wild from her emotions, vacillating between nervousness and giddiness at neck-breaking speed.

Her jittery state could have been attributed to a variety of sources. For one, she had ingested enough caffeine to wake a hibernating bear in the middle of winter. Then again, for the first time in a long while, she was about to perform a new song, written by herself – that alone was nerve wracking.

An ocean of emotions flooded her. Ben was in love with her. She didn’t get to say it back, but she felt it. Really and truly. He’d been honest and vulnerable — wonderful, really. So much more than she’d deserved. But the moment was ruined, Snoke’s sudden and unannounced arrival serving as a cold shower.

As they turned the corner and her eyes landed on Ben’s denim-clad form, she realized that in fact, she was nervous to see him. She was working on getting the courage to pull him to the side and tell him she loved him, to tell him everything else she had decided during the sleepless night, when he approached her.

“What the hell is going on here? What’s with all the cameras?” Ben murmured between his gritted teeth, the tiny muscle under his right eye fluttering almost imperceptive. He was mad as hell.

“I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out. Where the hell is Rose?” Rey blathered. She was even more anxious now, seeing the unexpectedly large number of spectators and television equipment. Ben didn’t look at her once, the sudden tension between them thick and suffocating.

“Hello, everyone. I’m John Snoke, the manager for Kira Takodana. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the summer festival. This is my first time in Alderaan but I can see why my lovely protégé has been so reluctant to leave.” He paused for dramatic effect, the crowd murmuring like an unruly beehive. He had a knack for rallying up a horde.

Rey could only glare at him with fury; he wasn’t supposed to announce her, she didn’t want to steal the spotlight and make the entire festival and the performance about herself.

“Before I bring her out, I want to share with you a heart-warming story. You may wonder why exactly Kira Takodana is throwing an impromptu performance in such a _cozy_ venue,” he uttered the word with obvious distaste, infuriating Ben further.

She couldn’t see his face, but his hands were balled up into fists at his sides, squeezed so tightly that his knuckles had begun turning white.

_“_ Kira is fond of lost causes. In this very town, one of your treasured landmarks is about to go under due to mismanagement. We cannot let the selfishness and poor decision making of a few misguided individuals ruin a perfectly good thing now, can we?” He glowered directly at Ben.

_Oh no! What have I done?_

Rey mouthed _stop_ towards Snoke, but he only met her with a sinister grin.

“You all love the Naboo Christmas tree farm and so does my darling girl. So, without further ado, please welcome Kira Takodana. Let’s save Christmas for everyone.”

The shock of what Snoke had done rooted her to the spot and Rey’s vision tunneled with rage. She sobered immediately when a few people from the crowd spotted Leia and Bebe, swarming them with questions.

Ben walked away quickly without looking back, his purposeful gait and rigid back speaking volumes about how he’d felt. He corralled his family protectively, leading them out of the chaos as fast as he could manage.

“Ben! Ben, wait!” Rey called. He stilled but didn’t turn to face her. His shoulders were slumped, clutching his sister’s hand.

“Ben, I’m really sorry. That’s not what was supposed to happen. I can fix it! I can—“

Ben turned, suddenly facing her, his expression contorted and mirroring an array of anger, disappointment and exceeding sadness.

“You can _what?_ Turn back time to when the entire town of Alderaan wasn’t keenly aware how much of a fuck up I am? How I’ve ruined my family and now my mother is practically destitute? Are you sure you don’t enjoy this just one bit? The mighty Kira Takodana, savior of all has-beens, losers and lackwit business owners?” he shouted, but she didn’t back down.

“No! That’s not true! I didn’t know he was going to say any of those things. I’m _so_ sorry! I know that nothing he said is true, I can fix it, I don’t want to hurt your family. I love them.”

“Truth?” he scoffed bitterly. “You don’t know the meaning of the word. And you most definitely don’t _love._ Not anyone other than yourself.”

“What are you talking about!? Ben? I know I hurt you — “

The crowd spotted her and swarmed, shouting her name with rabid enthusiasm, effectively barricading her from Ben.

His words hung heavy in the air, the chasm between them grew wider and deeper.

She couldn’t stop him and once again, she felt like she was drowning, panic setting in as the distance separating them grew.

\--

_Be brave._

Rey tried to still her shaking hands, while she stood in Leia’s yard. This has been her home for almost a week, but now, somehow, it felt cold, unwelcoming, somehow.

She climbed up the old sycamore, using the shiplap siding for leverage. Her skin scraped on the jagged bark but her movements were sure. Her expertise -- a direct result of being socially isolated in her private life and having limited options for recreation. Rock climbing was one of the few Snoke-approved pastimes.

Rey reached the small landing outside the bedroom where she’d spent all her nights. She was nervous as hell, but this was it — her only choice was making a big move.

She steadied herself on her knees and knocked on the closed window.

The curtain swung to the side, Ben’s hulking form appearing in her view. His expression was unclear, but the shadows under his eyes told her he was exhausted.

He opened the window slowly, the old wooden frame creaking in protest as he lifted it slowly.

“Hi,” Rey choked out.

“What are you doing here?” he asked curtly.

“Ben, I don’t even know where to start. First, I really need you to know that Snoke didn’t consult me about what he did, I really had no idea.”

“You had no idea he was going to take anything you told him and turn it around for his own gain? That’s really fucking naïve,” he admonished.

“You’re not wrong,” she admitted. “I made a mistake, I underestimated him and you and your family were the collateral damage. I just — “ she felt the sting of tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and needed to take a second before continuing.

“I just need you to not hate me.”

“I don’t,” he replied without emotion, his entire upper body leaning outside the window, the weight resting on his hands that were gripping the window sill tight.

It was now or never. Rey threw caution to the wind and shuffled closer to him, placing her hands on his.

“Ben, Snoke came and everything got ruined, I didn't get a chance to tell you everything I wanted. You’re the most amazing person I know. You helped me without wanting anything in return, you trusted me enough to share your story and most importantly, you trusted me with your heart. I have failed you and inadvertently broken that trust and I cannot tell you how sorry I am. I will do anything to make it up to you and your mom and Bebe.”

Hot tears now ran unchecked down her face, but the dam had been broken and she had to continue. “Ben, I don’t have to leave tomorrow. I will leave Snoke‘s agency.I will leave all of it and stay here, if you ask it of me. Nothing is more important and that’s because — well, it’s honestly the scariest thing I’ve ever considered — but it doesn’t matter because I am so, madly, desperately in love with you.”

She finished, her chest heaving as he seemed to consider her confession. He pulled away from the window, disappearing into his bedroom and out of her line of sight. A gust of cold wind caused her to shiver. Somehow Rey had missed the chilly rain drenching her, the flimsy clothes sticking to her body.

Ben returned, his eyes fixed on her, his jaw clenched as he gnawed the inside of his cheek.

“Your boyfriend is waiting for you. Best not keep him any longer.

Rey recoiled, his words stinging her like a slap to the face. He tossed a rolled up magazine at her feet, then pulled down the window forcefully, the brusque motion causing the glass pane to crack.

Rey picked up the glossy bundle — a tabloid magazine — and unrolled it to face a photo shopped version of herself on the front page, smiling brightly as the man across from her watched her with a mesmerized expression. The headline was written in bold font, each letter serving as another dagger into her heart.

_Kira Takodana and Poe Dameron: a love story for the modern age._

—

Rey wasn't certain how she made it back to the Inn. She didn’t sleep, eat or speak to anyone; she cried, mourning everything she’d lost and all the pain she’d caused.

The next morning, Rey sat on the bus and rested her forehead against the glass pane, watching the trail of water droplets run down the windowpane, mingling with her tears. Alderaan was fading away with every mile.

“Why does it hurt so much?” she asked Rose without lifting her eyes from the fleeting scenery.

Her friend held her hand gently and wiped away her tears with a soft handkerchief.

“Oh, honey.” She sighed, her breath ticklish on Rey’s cheek. “It hurts because it’s real.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! it hurts me too! I will make it better I promise!


	10. The Lollipop Guild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben wallows in his misery, but gets some new information and advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry I hurt you! here is a chapter that should hopefully make you feel a little bit better!  
> there is a time jump! I always wanted this to be a Christmas story since it's inspired by a Hallmark movie and this seemed to work awesome!  
> Thank you my lovely friend [SageMcMae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SageMcMae/pseuds/SageMcMae) for betaing and for inspiring this chapter!

Sleep had evaded him, again.

In fact, Ben was quite certain he would never be able to close his eyes again. Every time he did, the only thing he saw was Rey’s tear-stained face crumpling with every poisonous word he uttered.

He’d been cruel in his rejection. But he had to protect himself. In addition to the piece of human garbage managing her, who’d used his family’s financial troubles to further Rey’s career and boost her do-gooder image, she had a boyfriend. Which meant she’d lied all along, taking his heart, that he’d offered up on a platter, and smashing it to bits.

“She’s gone. Rey, Rose, that vile creature Snoke — all of them.” Leia huffed as she placed two brown paper bags overstuffed with groceries on the counter.

“Good,” Ben mumbled, shuffling miserably towards the coffee maker.

“Oh, honey, I know you don’t mean that.”

“I do.”

Large raindrops beat on the side of the window, partly drowning out his thoughts. For once, the weather fit his mood.

“Those weren’t her words. That was all Snoke,” Leia cajoled. It didn’t matter.

“She has a boyfriend. Bebe showed me the magazine and it’s all over the internet.”

“I think you are underestimating her. Rey cares about you. She let you braid her hair, for goodness sakes! She was wonderful and I forbid you to let her walk away.” His mother had both hands on her hips, her mouth down turned into a scowl.

“You knew, didn’t you? The entire time Rey was here, you knew who she was.” Realization hit him like a ton of bricks. “Is that why you were so god damn pushy?”

“Well, yes, dear. This is a small town and Chewie is one of my dearest and oldest friends.” Leia’s eyes glinted mischievously causing Ben to chastise himself for underestimating his mother’s propensity to butt in his life.

Again.

He was irritated, approaching _pissed. “_ So why didn’t you say anything? Why the theatrics?”

Leia rounded the kitchen island and held both Ben’s hands in hers. “At first I admit — shamefully albeit — that I had hoped she would motivate you to return to your singing career,” she admired sheepishly.

“But son, I know chemistry when I see it! Though, you needed a push. You’re very stubborn, just like your father! I only want you to be happy and I saw the way Rey looked at you. I merely facilitated a fast track to things that were going to happen regardless. She cares for you.”

Leia’s words cut through the paper-thin wall he’d managed to put up around himself, exposing his hemorrhaging soul. “I’m stubborn for a reason. I don’t trust people, once again, for a reason! That girl used me for publicity. She used _you_ — why aren’t you more upset?”

His mother frowned and planted her hands back on her hips in the same manner she had since he was a boy. “I don’t believe that, and neither do you. Get your head out of your ass and go get her.”

—

He didn’t.

Five months and two seasons came and went, and Ben found himself in the dead of winter. Fresh white snow had started to fall a few days ago, blanketing the town under its fluffy weight. Two days away from Christmas, Ben sat in his office chair at the police station doing what he did best — brooding.

He had absolutely nothing to be excited over. Quite the opposite, actually. For one, his family’s property was in arrears. They had two days to come up with the amount the farm’s mortgage, plus interest. If not, Palpatine would officially own Ben’s childhood home and his mother and sister would be out on the street.

Leia was unexplainably positive, conducting herself as if everything was fine. She kept saying things like, “Christmas is the season for miracles,” which Ben found ridiculous. He’d never been much of a Christmas person, but, because his current circumstances, he related to the Grinch on a molecular level.

Ben had nothing to celebrate; even though the townsfolk, including his mother and Bebe, were getting geared up for the Christmas Festival. Ben dodged it all.

His one good deed was offering to cover Phasma and Finn’s night shifts over the holidays. It wasn’t entirely altruistic; if he was working nights, he could hide out at the station the entire time, and successfully avoiding the over-the-top merriment enrapturing all of _Whoville_.

Or rather, he _would_ have been successful were he better equipped with mental fortitude. Hard as he may have tried, there was no avoiding it — everything reminded him of Rey. Her constant presence in his mind embittering him to the core.

“Ben Solo!” Maz Kanata’s sharp little voice echoed off the police station’s cinder block walls, disrupting his latest self-loathing session.

“You make a lot of noise for your size,” he quipped as he swiveled his chair away from the window. The smile on his lips faded before it even had a chance to unfurl. Inside the doors, Maz stood, but not alone.

“Who invited the lollipop guild?” he asked, purposely mean-spirited. Rose Tico scowled from her spot between Maz and Mitaka. Of course Leia was with them, she couldn’t seem to resist any opportunity to be a massive pain in his ass.

“Listen to me, you great big oaf!” Tico approached him, closing the distance until her pointy little index finger jabbed into his ribs. “Poe Dameron is _not_ Rey’s boyfriend. It’s just a stupid publicity stunt Snoke came up with — Poe is dating Armitage Hux, the songwriter.”

He wanted to believe her. Maybe somewhere deep down he did. But it didn’t matter.

“She’s made her choice. She needs to be famous at any cost – that’s too high a price for me.”

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” Rose asked rhetorically. His mother and Maz snickered. “Have you seen the clips from the morning show, by any chance?”

“No,” he answered tersely. If it was possible, Ben would’ve blocked _Kira Takodana_ from ever appearing on his newsfeed.

“Maybe you should take a look; it’s all online. Just watch it, you big dummy. And then come see her play.”

“She’s here?” Ben’s heart lurched. He shouldn’t care and yet, knowing she was in his town made him feel things. Confusing things.

“How are you living like this?” Mitaka pointed to the discarded packaging of _Bob Evans_ microwaveable macaroni and cheese and empty _Coors Lite_ beer cans strum about the station.

“Those are for end of shift.” He pointed to the aluminum cans. “Why are _you_ here, exactly?” Ben directed his question to Mitaka, fully knowing his reasons, but unwilling to pass up the opportunity to fuck with him.

“Well, I’m actually here in an official capacity.” He spoke, his eyes darting around the dwelling, an expression of disappointment crossing his face as soon as he realized Ben was there alone.

_You idiot! Just be single and happy!_

Mitaka had the habit of randomly popping into the police station for an array of weak reasons, coincidentally only when Captain Phasma was about to take a break. He always had lunch with him, or snacks and even offered to escort her home. The last ploy had Phasma giggling and pointing to her firearm. Mitaka’s latest request had been vehemently declined by the troopers, Ben and Phasma outvoting Finn two-to-one.

“Listen to me carefully, Dolphed.” Ben grit out. “I don’t care what kind of squirrels dressed as elves juggling knives are rooting around your brain, but there is _no_ way this police station is getting decorated for Christmas.”

“But it’s the Christmas Festival. You’ll be smited!” Mitaka’s voice went up an octave, his face reddening with ire.

“Don’t you need a permit to smite at Christmas? Read my lips short stuff — EN. OH!” Mitaka turned on his heel and made for the exit, but Ben wasn’t done yet.

“Oh and, Mitaka?”

The slight man paused his haughty walk, regarding him curiously.

“Phasma is on day shift. I’m covering for her over the holiday. You know, in case you decide to grow a set and ask her out.” Mitaka said nothing, but the unnecessarily loud crash of the front door suggested the festival director was not happy with what had just transpired.

“Jesus, Ben, you’re like a kid picking wings off flies — that was very cruel. You know Dolph has anxiety issues.”

“We all do. Is there anything else I can help you with?” he asked brusquely.

“Watch this. Now. If you still want me to leave after that, I can.” Rose offered, and Ben only nodded his consent. In truth, he’d googled Kira a few times — a few _dozen_ times, actually— but he’d felt like he was just picking a scabbed wound. His search always left him exposed, raw and filled with regret.

Rose cued the video on his desktop, and Ben braced himself.

On the screen a peppy brunette and her male sidekick sipped coffee out of ceramic tankards. After a few seconds of senseless _jibber-jabber_ , they introduced Kira Takodana.

_“Good morning Nashville! Here we are with country music’s newest “it” girl, Kira Takodana and she’s here to promote the Christmas Eve showcase at the Theed Palace along with Country Music’s biggest stars.”_

Rey stepped into the studio and Ben felt his knees wobble. She looked more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek bun, the simple black suit and red lipstick emphasizing her natural beauty. He could almost forgive himself for throwing caution to the wind and allowing himself to fall in love with someone so unattainable.

_“Yes, it’s in less than two weeks and we are exceptionally excited. And humbled. This is a dream come true. But there has been a change of plans.”_ Her words sent the morning show hosts into a frenzy, clearly this was an unscripted moment.

_“And your hit single “Be Brave” — who is the inspiration behind the heartbreak?”_ the woman asked _, her tone of voice less chipper_ than _it had just been._

_“Umm …”_ Rey readjusted in her seat.

_“Because we’ve heard rumours about you and Poe Dameron,”_ the co-host prodded.

Ben straightened, his chest tightening from the familiar dull ache he felt every time he thought of her. “I’ve seen enough.”

“Keep watching Ben, please,” his mother bid.

Rey cleared her throat, her facial expression turned serious. “ _I’m not really here to discuss my personal life. At the end of the day I’m a person like everyone else, and I’m entitled to some privacy. I can tell you, however, in the interest of clearing things up, that Poe and I are not together, and we never have been more than colleagues and friends. My former manager, John Snoke, had manufactured that rumor with the hope that it would boost sales of our new record.”_

Ben felt as stunned as the two over-caffeinated TV hosts.

_“I followed his instruction blindly, even when it damaged my ethics. I’ve hurt a great deal many people following his lead. But now I’m here to apologize to the entire town of Alderaan – I am so sorry that you were embarrassed because of me, I am sorry I wasn’t honest about my identity, and I’m sorry I didn’t get to perform for you. To make up for it, I am going to be performing my new songs at the Christmas Festival. Entry will be gratis, but if you’re feeling kind, please bring some money to donate to your favourite charity.”_ Rey finished, her big hazel eyes brimming with tears.

_“What a wonderful idea!”_

_“Thank you, Kathleen. I hope this makes up for some of the hurt I have caused. I have one more thing to add: Ben, I am sorry about your pain most of all. I think you are an incredibly talented individual, and even if you don’t forgive me, I hope you can join me on stage to play our song on Christmas Eve.”_

Rey spoke to him directly, she’d apologized, and she was putting on a show for the town for charity and he…

“I’ve been such a fool.” Ben admitted out loud. He didn’t see the matching grins sported by his impromptu audience.

“This part is a little hard to watch, but I think you need to see it.” Rose added and played another video entitled “ _Brave young singer stands up to JEDI and Empire – the power of honesty in Nashville.”_

Ben watched, his mouth agape, his balled-up hands twitching at his sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Bob Evans bit is totally courtesy to one of Sage's mishaps. This is what I do, I take my friends' unfortunate incidents and use them for my writing hahah! xoxo  
> one more chapter to go, I think I will post early next week before I disappear off the face of the planet until I see the movie! one week! WOW!


	11. Merry Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, the end of the road!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for sticking with this story! Thank you Sage for beta'ing this entire story and all the lovely feedback and encouragement!   
> I hope everyone has a lovely holiday season and may the force be with us!

“The Theed Palace show is tomorrow.Tthis is going to cement your place in country music, right at the top. Right next to Poe Dameron.” Snoke’s face contorted into a smile so forced that it looked almost painful.

Her manager had insisted on accompanying her to the television studio. Snoke had pushed Rey to memorize the notes he had carefully crafted for her, with the expectation that she was going to recite them like a trained parrot.

However, once she was in front of the cameras, out of Snoke’s reach, Rey decided to seize the opportunity and come clean about everything. She’d tried phoning Ben after she left Alderaan but he’d clearly blocked her number. Thankfully, Bebe and Leia listened, provided her with advice, and a chance at redemption.

“This whole fake dating thing, it’s not me,” Rey whispered to Snoke, once she’d left the interview.

“No one cares about what Rey Kenobi wants.” He was seething, saliva particles flying through his gaped teeth.

“Kira Takodana and Poe Dameron sell magazines. Publicity keeps you in the spotlight and that, dear child, means success. You’re this close to getting everything you’ve ever wanted and this close to blowing it,” he hissed, viciously wrinkling his weathered face until it resembled a worn out baseball mitt.

“I want to showcase my new songs.” She spoke with confidence, already aware of what his response would be.

“No. Hux sent the songs already. You tried writing before, and that was a bust. You just stick to performing and leave the rest to me. And stop snacking on complex carbs — festively plump may be a good look for Christmas goose but it’s not for you.”

She ignored his jab at her weight, having recently realized that was merely one of the many tricks he’d used to keep her compliant and reliant on him. “ _Be_ _Brave_ is my song. Ben arranged it — “

“Don’t you _ever_ say that again.” He grabbed her upper arm brusquely, digging his knobby fingers into her flesh. “Are you really this stupid? He could sue you for everything. Don’t give that riff-raff any reason to rise up. He is where he belongs, rotting in the gutter of Alderaan.”

“Ben isn’t like that.” Tears trickled down her cheeks as she defended him.

“He is. And now that he and his familiar rabble are broke and homeless, he will do anything to get some cash.” Snoke was shaking, filled with hatred and continued to grip her arm in the vice he made with his fingers.

“What did you just say?” Rey asked, suspicion flooding her. “How do you know this? What did you do?”

“Moved some chess pieces around, called in some favours. They were only delaying the inevitable, really. I did it for your own good.”

“Tell me, right now,” Rey demanded, her pulse thundering in her temples, tunneling her vision.

“You don’t get to order _me_ around, scavenger.” That was the insult he saved for when he needed the last say, the one that stung her the most— it alluded to the childhood she’d spent unwanted and unloved, reduced to scouring for the most basic of necessities.

Only this time, she didn’t back down.

“What. Did. You. Do?” She enunciated every word, gaining back her agency with every emphasized syllable.

“Nothing illegal.” His voice softened, somewhat, and his grip on her loosened. “Technically speaking. Sheev Palpatine has become a valuable acquaintance and I’ve made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. You see, young Solo and his bitch mother are going to lose their house on December 25th and I put in an offer to purchase it. I knew when I saw you with him, that you had foolishly developed feelings for him. I will _allow_ them to continue their pathetic lives in that shit pile they call a house, as long as you play nice. The second you stop toeing the line, I make a call to Sheev and they’re out.”

“You’re despicable!” Rey shouted and shook herself out of his grip.

“I’m a businessman. You aren’t so naive to think that talent alone makes for a successful career, are you?”

“We’re done here.” Rey turned, heading towards the exit. That wasn’t the first time she’d been called naive, but it would be the last.

“You don’t get to walk away from me. No one walks away from me, Kira!”

“Don’t you lay another finger on her, mister Snoke.” A woman’s voice startled them both — apparently, they’d had an audience.

“Your mic, Rey.” Kathleen pointed to the small, black wireless microphone tucked in her suit lapel. “You didn’t turn it off. We heard _everything_. And so did the rest of the country. You’re finished, Snoke.”

“You’ll be hearing from my lawyers— this is entrapment! And slander!” He spoke with as much venom as always, but he was visibly rattled. “When I’m done with you, you’ll have nothing left to your name. Just like when I found you.” He directed the last bit of his tirade towards Rey, but his jab only made her smile.

“Fuck you.” She spoke authoritatively, cracking a smile as Snoke was escorted out by security.

—

Rey stood next to the massive and excessively decorated Christmas tree, her fingers fiddling with the old velour curtains. The tingle of nervous energy she felt before stepping on stage every show coursed through her, but alongside of it, something else. Like the silver lining contouring a dark cloud after a summer storm, the vague traces of hope lingered in the back of her mind.

She took her seat in front of the microphone, tuning her guitar. With one last roll of her shoulders, she attempted to ease the tension built up in her upper body and neck, then motioned silently to Mitaka. A couple of teenagers pulled the curtains apart, a wave of cheers and applause washing over her as Dolphed stepped up to his microphone and introduced her.

Rey scanned the crowd quickly, tamping down the disappointment she felt when she didn’t see his face, and began playing. She ran through a series of popular Christmas songs— well-received crowd pleasers like _White Christmas, Silent Night_ and _I’ll Be Home For Christmas_ —the last of them causing her heart to twinge just a bit. This was not the first holiday season where she was uncertain about where exactly _home_ was for her.

As the applause faded, she pulled the microphone closer to address the crowd.

“Hi, everyone! Thank you for coming tonight and contributing your hard earned funds to charity! I will return to playing Christmas classics in a moment, but first I wanted to introduce a song that I wrote here, in Alderaan. It’s called a _Be Brave_ —a reminder and encouragement for the ones of us who can’t always be. The music was arranged by your own Officer Ben Solo, who was also my inspiration for the lyrics. I hope you like it!”

What she truly hoped was that Ben was nearby, she also hoped he’d come see her play, and, most importantly, she hoped he could find it in his heart to forgive her.

Her fingers went through the chords: C, Em, C — _here goes nothing._

She leaned into the mic, more timid than she’d been in years, and sang.

_I feel you, it’s like you’re in the next room_

_At any given moment, you could reappear_

_Thin air, you’re out there in it somewhere_

_If I could only get there, I could breathe it in again._

_Tell me how to start, what comes after you?_

_You don’t have to do a thing but listen to me sing_

_I know you miss the world, the one you knew_

_The one where everything made sense_

_Because you didn’t know the truth — that’s how it works._

As she transitioned into the bridge, Rey noticed the crowd becoming suddenly distracted, a small cheer quickly bursting into all out ruckus. Without interrupting the melody, she turned in the same direction they were all facing, and her breath caught in her throat.

Ben’s eyes burrowed into hers, his gaze tough to read, skating across her face as if he was uncertain if he could trust her. He looked tired, the dark circles under his eyes giving him a haunted appearance. But he was there, walking across the stage with a guitar in his hands.

Mitaka rushed a stool out for him, and Ben took his seat next to her. His fingers tugged the strings, and he sang the new lyrics to the song they had written together.

_I’ve tried to get over you, but there’s no such thing._

_I miss you every morning, and in the evening rain_

_And when it’s pouring, I’m alone again_

_I count the seconds, between the thoughts of you_

_I’m getting better, baby, I’m almost up to two._

_Don’t stop trying to find me here against the chaos_

_Though I know it’s blinding, there’s a way out_

_Say out loud: we will not give up on love now._

Rey, desperately trying to hold back tears— and losing the battle –continued with the chorus they had both created.

_No fear._

_Don’t you turn away from me, just stay here._

_Hold me in the dark and when the day appears_

_We’ll say —we did not give up on love today._

The words he added complimented her lyrics perfectly, their duet sounding an awful lot like a mutual apology —words that should’ve been spoken to each other face to face long ago.

The crowd erupted in applause as they finished the song, but all Rey could see was Ben. “We’re not done here,” he whispered and began playing the familiar notes of _All I Want for Christmas,_ to the delight of everyone.

Rey’s entire body vibrated as the curtain pulled over the stage at the end of their performance. She barked out a startled howl of laughter when Ben reached for her hand, but before either of them could speak, Leia rushed from behind the stage.

“My baby’s first hometown show!”

“Mom, stop.” He peeled his hand out of Rey’s, carding it through his tousled hair and stuffing the other in his pants’ pocket.

“You kids are so talented, you must get it from your genes.” Leia winked mischievously.

“You certainly don’t miss an opportunity to toot your own horn do you?” Ben chided, but there was no malice in his tone. His mother shook her head and chuckled, then stood up in her tip-toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“Rey honey, I am _so_ happy to see you again. And wouldn’t you know it— you’re wearing your braid!” Leia exclaimed and Rey instinctively reached for her hair. She hadn’t consciously decided on the hairstyle and when Rose put it together—

“Rose!” Rey was quickly realizing her best friend had been plotting.

“Yes, she’s proved to be a valuable asset.” Leia joked. “She helped me get this stubborn ass to listen, and that’s not a task for the faint of heart. Not to mention that she’s got Officer Storm wrapped around her manicured little finger.”

Ben hadn’t said much— anything, actually —but from the rigid set of his jaw, he was about to. Leia shocked gasp interrupted him, however. Rey turned in the same direction, identifying the source of her surprise.

Off to the side of the Christmas tree, Captain Phasma had Mitaka gripped by his shirt collar and pulled him close into a searing kiss.

“She’s wearing a braid— it works, see?” Leia exclaimed, surreptitiously twirling the ends of Rey’s own braid between her fingers.

“Mom,” Ben interrupted her, “can you give Rey and I a minute to talk?”

“Yes! Yes, you two should talk! And kiss and make up and make some more of that beautiful music!” Leia blurted out then skittled away, leaving Rey and Ben inside a cloud of awkwardness.

“I’m sorry—“

“I missed you—“

They both spoke at the same time, their rumbles of laughter mingling. Relief mixed with anticipation coursed through her, as she took her time cataloguing Ben —although he looked tired, his dark eyes shone. His hair was longer, but as perfect as ever, and she didn’t necessarily hate the rugged dark scruff adorning his face.

“Do you want to get out of here for a bit?” he asked, and Rey couldn’t hold back her grin.

—

“How does it feel to be homeless?” Ben asked while he zipped up her coat and wrapped her scarf a little tighter. He’d brought them back to _Kessel Run_ , but instead of fireflies, the dock and all the trees around the pond were draped with twinkling lights.

It looked like a winter wonderland. The pond was frozen over, the flickering lights reflecting off the mirrored surface. The crisp wind picked up, blowing the fresh snow all around, like minuscule sparkling confetti inside a snow globe.

“I’m free, finally.” Her answer came out as a loud exhale. “There’s no price too big for that. Besides, I had Luke take a peek at my contract and as it turns out, Snoke missed a very important loophole —while he owns the Kira Takodana brand, he had no claim to the instrumental arrangements. In addition, since Snoke abhorred my song writing, the label never signed on for that.”

Ben stopped walking, watching her intently, clearly not following her train of thought.

“It means _you_ get all the royalties from _Be Brave_ and _Silver Linings—_ my new album _,”_ she clarified, grinning.

Ben looked incredulous, pulling her into a tight embrace against his chest. The man was a human furnace, the heat radiating from him warming her like a soft blanket. “You’re amazing, but you don’t have to do that. The farm is safe now.”

“But Snoke—“

“I saw the video. More importantly, so did the entire world. Snoke and Palpatine are both done” he interrupted, pushing away pieces of hair sticking to her face, tucking them behind her ears. “I know we have a lot to talk about, a lot of feelings and hurtful words to sort through– mostly things said by me —but for now, all I want to do is hold you.”

“Is that _all_?” she questioned cheekily. Ben lowered his lips to hers, the heat radiating from their kiss transforming into steam as they each took turns reacquainting themselves with each other. Unlike the summer, however, there was nothing holding them back– no more lies, no looming separation, no more Snoke.

“Rey, we can solve your temporary homelessness problem.” Ben mouthed against her lips, continuing to kiss her softly as he held her in his arms.

\--

“Wow, you opened up the bed and breakfast, like Bebe wanted.” Rey cheered as they rounded the corner of the tree farm. The old red barn had been repurposed into a guest house– judging from the sign hanging above the doorway. Hundreds of while twinkle-lights contoured every window and through the open doorway, Rey could see the sparkle of decorations on the biggest Christmas tree she had ever seen indoors.

“Yes, both my kids are brilliant if I do say so myself! Even if one of them is a bit of a stubborn ass.” Leia stood behind them, accompanied by Maz Kanata, both women holding impossibly large trays filled with an incredible array of baked goods.

“Mother.”

“What! You are. Are you going to ask her to stay or do I need to do all the work? Miracles don’t just happen, you know!” She winked at him, grinning with mischief.

“Rey— umm —do you want —“

“Are you kids up for a sleigh ride?” another voice interrupted them. It was Ackbar this time, donning an outfit with a distinct Dickensian air about it. He was driving a wooden sleigh pulled by two white horses– also dressed in Christmas attire, including jingle bells on their bridles that sang with every step they took.

“Now you see why I had to take you to _Kessel Run?”_ Ben snarked, alluding to their complete lack of privacy, as he helped her get inside the sleigh.

He heaved a heavy red and white flannel blanket over their laps and draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. It was almost like he didn’t want to let go of her, and Rey could not be any happier.

“This is incredible,” she remarked as they made their way around the grounds, the sleigh heading into the wooded parts of the property. A woven tapestry of crisp white snow and green Douglas Fir enveloped them, the fresh scent intoxicating.

“You’re incredible. Rey, I’ve been the biggest idiot. I treated you so badly and I don’t know if you could ever forgive me. Would you stay, just for a little while?” he asked in earnest, his eyes shining.

“I was really hoping I could. And I brought my own clothes this time!” she joked.

“Stay as long as you like. I never want you to leave me again. Letting you walk away from me broke me. This has been the longest winter of my entire cloudy life. You’re not my silver lining, Rey. You are everything.” His words settled into the pit of her stomach, like hot cider on a cold day, comforting and sweet.

“Marry me.” Rey’s words came out in a rush.

“Always one step ahead, Kenobi.” Ben huffed out with a laugh, the steam from his lips billowing out in the frosty air. He pulled an emerald green velvet box out of his pocket, opening it to reveal an exquisite vintage diamond ring.

“It was my grandmother’s. Usually I go out of my way to thwart my mother’s incessant meddling, but this time, I think she was right to give this to me.” Ben’s smile stretched across his face as he spoke, “unless you say _no,_ of course.”

“I would love nothing more than being your wife, Ben,” she answered, her eyes bleary with tears as he slid the delicate gold band onto her ring finger.

Rey had never been one for Christmas traditions, but in this moment, sitting astride Ben’s lap in a horse drawn sleigh as snow crystals clung to her braid, she could feel the last bits of her cynicism melting away.

_Merry Christmas, my love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song they sing together, is actually a mix of 3 Sara Bareilles songs. "No such thing", "Orpheus" and "If I can't have you". if you are not familiar with her work, I strongly suggest you have a listen, she is unbelievable!   
> what can I say other than thank you for reading and commenting and being absolutely lovely!   
> Heathyr, I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I loved writing it for you!   
> One last thing (not to sound too ridiculous) but I haven't seen the movie yet, so if possible, please don't spoil me in the comments (although if you do I won't disown you or anything)  
> XoXO <3


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